Context Namibia faces a number of public health challenges that threaten the health security of the country. Public health systems need to be able to respond to various, often simultaneously occurring health threats and emergencies. To function well, a single focal point that coordinates the public health activities of…
Context Madagascar is facing significant institutional and structural challenges in its public health system, due to limited resources and capacities, contributing to the burden of disease in the country. With the numerous epidemics and pandemics caused by polio, plague and, in recent times, COVID-19, the current infrastructure and workforce are…
Context Pathogens with outbreak potential, including zoonotic types, pose severe hazards to public health. This threat gets aggravated when, simultaneously, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs, decreasing options or making it even impossible to treat. For both occurrences, laboratory surveillance is key – either regarding the investigation of pathogens with epidemic potential…
Context The strengthening of national public health institutions (NPHIs) is an essential component of global health protection. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and Robert Koch Institute (RKI) have been working together on issues related to global health security for more than a decade. In 2019, a…
Context Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is among the leading causes of death worldwide, with approximately 4.95 million deaths associated with bacterial AMR in 2019. AMR knows no borders and is internationally recognised as a threat to global health, making it a high public health priority. All countries must collaborate globally to…
Context The COVID-19 pandemic put a heavy strain on many public health systems, which had to deal with high numbers of severely ill people and deaths and with challenges regarding vaccination and medical supplies. The Balkan region was seriously affected by the pandemic, highlighting the importance of strengthening preparedness and…
Context Numerous international infectious disease outbreaks in recent decades have demonstrated that emerging infectious diseases are a major threat to public health. In Sri Lanka, a tropical island characterised by its rich biodiversity and abundance of wildlife, there is a particularly high risk of viral spillover events. However, the country’s…
Context Endemic and emerging zoonotic diseases pose a threat to the health of humans and animals and to global health security. In Tunisia, due to its geographical position between sub-Saharan Africa and Mediterranean Europe and the mounting effects of climate change, the risk of zoonotic spillover events is increasing, requiring…
Context Being prepared for pandemics is one of the most important tasks of public health actors globally. Diseases like Lassa fever, Ebola virus disease and other endemic diseases in West Africa have highlighted the crucial importance of a good understanding of the One Health concept combined with a people-centred…