Strengthening global health security by embedding the International Health Regulations requirements into national health systems

Kluge, Hans; Martín-Moreno, Jose Maria; Emiroglu, Nedret; Rodier, Guenael; Kelley, Edward; Vujnovic, Melitta; Permanand, Govin

Finally, messaging is crucial. In a global health climate characterised by the need to demonstrate outcomes, it is difficult to 'sell' prevention and preparedness. Governments should acknowledge that health security has a cost with no immediate apparent outcome, but that such investment is irreplaceable in the face of an imminent health emergency. When the health system is capable of preventing, detecting or effectively addressing a public health threat, the greatest beneficiary is society at large. At the same time, many actors of the national economy (eg, transport, tourism and trade) and the private sector also benefit. Thus, the messaging around investing in health security needs to be less on the tools and procedures and more on the 'destination', for example, a safer world such that public health emergencies do not spread globally and have limited if any impact on international travel, trade and the economy.