Health security focus on well-functioning health systems
During its second year of operations, the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) has progressed to concrete actions.
So far, four country assessments have been carried out based on the programme. Georgia, Peru, Uganda and Portugal volunteered as pilot countries.
The country assessments will be discussed at an event to be held in conjunction with the World Health Assembly in Geneva. Finland will host the event in cooperation with Uganda and the United States.
The event will present and discuss the experiences obtained from health security cooperation so far. The findings will be used in the development of the health system assessment process which is one of the GHSA programme's key tools. Country assessments start with an evaluation of the given country's starting situation and identification of possible development goals. The GHSA assessment prepares and supports countries especially in the implementation of the WHO International Health Regulations.
The GHSA is a cooperative forum intended to support the work of international organisations and more than 40 countries to transcend borders in the fight against biological and health threats. The vision is to attain a world safe and secure from global health threats posed by infectious diseases.
“The focus lies on better cross-sectoral collaboration on national level, as well as better cooperation between international organizations on a global level. We learned from the Ebola-epidemic that the response to an epidemic is not effective until the civil society participates in it as well. This is also an essential part of the GHSA”, says MSAH Permanent Secretary Päivi Sillanaukee.
World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), Interpol, World Bank and the European Commission participate in the GHSA.
The five-year programme was initiated by the United States in 2014. Finland holds the chairmanship in 2015
Further information:
ministerial adviser Eero Lahtinen p. +358 2951 63320