Round-up of GHSA Steering Group and Action Packages in 2015

GHSA Steering Group Secretariat; GHSA Preparation Task Force Team

The Steering Group continued to stress the multisectoral nature of the GHSA, and GHSA Steering Group members were encouraged to increase multisectoral engagement in support of the GHSA if they were not already doing so. The GHSA Steering Group also discussed the vital role of the security sector in achieving GHSA targets and objectives, noting that support from the defense and other sectors, instrumental in the response to the Ebola crisis. The GHSA Steering Group heard specific examples from the defense sector by Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Tom Atkin from the United States and Tiina Raijas, the Deputy Director of the Defence policy Unit from Finland. Both the United States and Finland recognized that biological threats are a security threat to all nations. Mr Atkin noted that microbes are potential weapons of mass destruction, microbes and infectious diseases a threat to US troops abroad, diseases are a risk to public security, and unstable conditions can be incubators for terrorist activities. The defense sector can contribute systems that can assist with disease detection, surveillance, reporting and diagnostics as well as response capabilities, logistics and command and control systems.