US, 26 countries launch effort to fight outbreaks

Friday, February 14, 2014

The U.S. and 26 other countries began a new effort Thursday to prevent and fight outbreaks of dangerous infectious diseases before they spread around the globe.

U.S. health officials called the Global Health Security Agenda a priority because too many countries lack the health infrastructure necessary to spot a new infection rapidly and sound the alarm before it has time to gain a foothold and even spread into other countries.

Germs “do not recognize or stop at national borders,” Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Thursday as representatives from participating countries, the World Health Organization and other groups met to discuss plans. “A threat anywhere is indeed a threat everywhere.”

Source: Sioux City Journal (link opens in a new window)

Categories
Health Care
Tags
infectious diseases, infrastructure