The Biden administration has announced plans to assist 50 countries in identifying and addressing infectious diseases, in order to prevent global disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic that occurred in 2020.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, President Joe Biden announced the forthcoming release of the “Global Health Security Strategy” from the White House, outlining actions the United States will take over the next five years to prevent, detect, and effectively respond to any biological threats that may arise globally.
Reflecting on the impact of COVID-19 on Americans, President Biden stated, “Every American has experienced the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, witnessing how this global health challenge has affected our hospitals, schools, businesses, and communities, with no sector of society spared.”
He emphasized that the Global Health Security Strategy will not only protect people worldwide but also make the United States “stronger, safer, and healthier than ever before.”
As the Biden administration prepares to unveil this strategy, countries around the world are also working to reach global agreements to address future pandemics. Despite it being four years since the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the prospect of all 194 member countries of the World Health Organization (WHO) collectively signing a pandemic treaty is not optimistic.
The statement noted that the strategy “will promote the coordination of comprehensive efforts by our government, while striving for greater support from foreign partners, the private sector, and civil society to ensure lasting impact.”
The forthcoming strategy will rely on multiple government agencies such as the U.S. Department of State, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to assist countries in improving their infectious disease response measures.
Currently, this strategic plan is already underway in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa. The U.S. government is aiding the country in responding to an outbreak of the mpox virus, including vaccination efforts. The mpox virus belongs to the same family as the virus that causes smallpox and can cause painful skin lesions. Last year, the WHO declared the smallpox epidemic a global health emergency, with over 91,000 cases reported in more than 100 countries to date.
The White House will launch a website on Tuesday to publish the list of countries participating in this program. The Biden administration aims to have 100 countries join the program by the end of this year.
The U.S. has already allocated billions of dollars to this project. President Biden’s annual budget proposal to Congress includes $1.2 billion in funding for global health security efforts.