Global health security threats and related risks in Latin America

Kenneth B. Yeh, Falgunee K. Parekh, Brooke Borgert, Gene G. Olinger, Jeanne M. Fair

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The costs of responding and mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic is a critical example of the need for continual investment for global health security (GHS) preparedness in today’s inter-connected world as exemplified earlier with Ebola, Zika, and H1N1. Microbial diversity including endemic and emerging infectious diseases unique to Latin America are well known. When combined with geopolitical, socioeconomic, and environmental factors, especially climate change and human migration, which are expanding the range of disease vectors and pathogens, the risk for infectious disease outbreaks greatly increases. Enhancing GHS requires a greater awareness and cooperation within the region as well as more effective infectious disease surveillance systems. Frameworks such as the International Health Regulations and Global Health Security Agenda underpin policies to strengthen health systems. Greater international cooperation aimed to effectively enhance infectious disease surveillance are pivotal to increasing trust among partner countries and strengthen health security systems and best practices to respond and mitigate infectious disease outbreaks. Here we discuss infectious disease threats and risks associated with the current socioeconomic and political climate that influence GHS in order to demonstrate the need for further investment.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)18-25
Number of pages8
JournalGlobal Security - Health, Science and Policy
Volume6
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2021
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • covid-19
  • global health security
  • infectious disease surveillance
  • Latin America
  • preparedness

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Political Science and International Relations
  • Health(social science)

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Global health security threats and related risks in Latin America'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this