Medical Safety & Global Health
Open Access

The Role of Health Systems in Surveillance of Global Health Security

Liv Kamilaris^{* *}Correspondence: Liv Kamilaris, Department of Health Security, Rural University of Pernambuco, Pernambuco, Brazil, Email:

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Description

Global health security is the ability of public health systems to detect, prevent, and respond to threats from infectious diseases wherever they may arise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) work around-the-clock to safeguard American citizens' health, safety, and security and combat international health risks so that we don't have to. A disease hazard is a sickness threat everywhere in the modern, interconnected world.

Today’s top global health security risks include:

• New infectious diseases are developing and spreading.

• Increasing globalization of trade and travel, which makes it easier for diseases to spread.

• Increase in disease-causing, drug-resistant pathogens.

• Possibility of unauthorized use, theft, or release of harmful pathogens.

To combat the biggest threats to global health security, the CDC increases its capabilities in these four key areas:

• Laboratory networks to precisely diagnose illnesses and find new viruses; surveillance systems to promptly spot outbreaks before they spread.

• Training frontline employees to recognize, monitor, and stop epidemics at their source.

• Systems for emergency management that coordinate emergency response actions.

The measures necessary, both proactive and reactive, to reduce the risk and effect of acute public health events that harm people's health across geographic regions and international borders are referred to as global public health security.

The equilibrium of the microbial world is being disturbed by population increase, fast urbanization, environmental deterioration, and the improper use of antimicrobials. At previously unheard-of rates, new diseases like COVID-19 are appearing, affecting people's health and having negative social and economic effects. Each year, millions of people fly, which increases the potential for the rapid international spread of infectious diseases and the vectors that carry them. The understanding of the possible risks to health and the environment, such as climate change and air pollution, has grown along with the dependence on chemicals. The risk of contaminated ingredients and foodborne illnesses rises in tandem with the globalization of food production. As the world’s population becomes more mobile and increases its economic interdependence, these global health threat increase and traditional defenses at national borders cannot protect against the invasion of a disease or vector.

Pandemics, health emergencies and weak health systems not only cost lives but pose some of the greatest risks to the global economy and security faced today.

• In 2019, the 72^nd World Health Assembly endorsed resolution WHA72.6 on global action on patient safety, acknowledging that ensuring and improving patient safety is a rising concern for the delivery of health services internationally. It urged Member States to prioritize patient safety in health sector policies and programmes, as well as, where appropriate, regional economic integration organizations.

• The Health Assembly also asked the Director-General, among other things, to create an international action plan for patient safety in consultation with Member States and all pertinent parties, including those in the private sector, in order to submit it to the 74^th World Health Assembly in 2021 via the Executive Board at its 148^th session.

• In response, the Secretariat has started work on a draught global action plan for patient safety. The action plan intends to give Member States and other stakeholders a framework for taking action that will make it easier to implement strategic patient safety interventions at all levels of the global health systems during the following ten years (2021–2030).

• Through legislative changes and the execution of recommendations at the point of care, the draught action plan will give all stakeholders strategic direction for enhancing patient safety in their practice domain. A list of suggested activities for governments, civil society, international and intergovernmental organizations, the Secretariat, and, most crucially, healthcare facilities will be included in the draught action plan.