Global Health Security Agenda: Action Packages

Preamble

The Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) is an effort by nations, international organizations, and civil society to accelerate progress toward a world safe and secure from infectious disease threats; to promote global health security as an international priority; and to spur progress toward full implementation of the World Health Organization (WHO) International Health Regulations 2005 (IHR), the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) pathway, and other relevant global health security frameworks.

In order to encourage progress toward these goals, the "Action Packages" concept was developed to facilitate regional and global collaboration toward specific GHSA objectives and targets. Following the May 2014 GHSA Commitment Development meeting in Helsinki countries identified eleven discrete GHSA Action Packages, which were discussed further at the August 2014 Global Infectious Diseases Meeting in Jakarta. All countries that support the GHSA are welcome to participate in one or more Action Packages and are asked to consider specific commitments across these areas on a national, regional, or global basis.

The 11 Action Packages in this document have been agreed upon by Action Package leaders and contributing countries, with the understanding that they may be changed or added to over time. Technical experts from countries around the world have worked collaboratively over the past months to shape these Action Packages and continued to lead and implement them following the GHSA meeting at the White House on September 26, 2014. As of that meeting, 39 countries have committed to contribute to the Action Packages, and others are encouraged to join as the GHSA moves forward. In developing these Action Packages, the goal has been to translate political support into action and to recruit countries to join in working to achieve GHSA objectives.

These Action Packages have been publicly released at this stage to further increase understanding and encourage entities outside of government to take part in the GHSA as part of a whole-of-society approach. We encourage non-governmental stakeholders—including foundations, development banks and non-governmental organizations—to contribute to the development and implementation of these Action Packages.

Purpose and Organization

The purpose of Action Packages and the underlying Prevent-Detect-Respond framework is to:

• Focus international discussion toward specific, coordinated actions in support of the GHSA;
• Highlight measurable approaches countries can adopt to accelerate, monitor and report GHSA progress; and
• Provide a mechanism by which countries can make specific commitments and take leadership roles in the GHSA. Countries can consider commitments to one or more Action Packages and may agree to lead, co-lead or actively participate in work with other countries regionally or globally to implement a unified set of actions.

Each Action Package includes the relevant five-year target, an indicator by which to measure progress, desired impact, current country commitments, five-year action items, and lists of baseline assessment, planning, monitoring, and evaluation activities necessary to implement the action items. It is understood that each Action Package will evolve as current commitments are delivered and new commitments are pledged.

GHSA activities should be conducted in collaboration with relevant local, national, and international stakeholders and in coordination with the relevant activities of the WHO, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), OIE, and INTERPOL. Wherever practicable and strategic, GHSA Action Packages and commitments should reflect an appropriate level of multidisciplinary (e.g., "One Health") coordination to meet respective GHSA targets.

Progress and Next Steps

All countries are welcome and encouraged to lead or join any of the GHSA Action Packages.  Progress in the development of GHSA commitments—including pledges to participate in Action Packages and to support the GHSA with other national and international activities—will be reviewed regularly, and gaps and next steps will be highlighted through the GHSA Steering Group and annual GHSA Ministerial going forward.  Countries wishing to advance or assist others in GHSA activities and goals may also wish to coordinate with international organizations who, individually or collectively, have developed specific tools and/or programs that can be tailored to build capacity and address country development needs.

Acronyms

• AMR – antimicrobial resistance
• EOC – emergency operations center
• FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
• FETP – Field Epidemiology Training Program
• GHSA – Global Health Security Agenda
• IDSR – Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response
• IT – information technology
• IHR – International Health Regulations (2005)
• OIE – World Organization for Animal Health
• PHEIC – public health emergency of international concern
• PVS – Performance of Veterinary Services
• RRT – rapid response team
• SIA –supplementary immunization activities
• VPD – vaccine-preventable disease
• WAHIS – World Animal Health Information System
• WHO – World Health Organization