Worldwide, 11 million people per year die of treatable respiratory illnesses.
Diseases and infection like pneumonia, sepsis, tuberculosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are everyday occurrences for 75% of the world's population.
Because of their poverty or isolation, these communities do not have the resources to properly treat and study these health conditions. As a result, people who could be treated are dying—up to five times as frequently as they do in rich countries.
Severe illness and serious infection kill about 15 million people per year.
Research has shown that improving health in these parts of the world is not hopeless—or expensive. Simple measures and inexpensive supplies and medications may save millions of lives.
INTERSECT leverages clinical, research, educational, and technical expertise from the University of Washington to address this global public health challenge.
In conjunction with the World Health Organization, INTERSECT has developed treatment guidelines, training programs, and materials to better prepare local health ministries worldwide to diagnose, study, and treat severe illness and infection.
» Projects with WHO
INTERSECT members also work in the field, conducting respiratory and severe illness research projects in developing regions of Africa, Asia, South America, the Middle East, and the United States.
INTERSECT also works with fourteen international partners to raise awareness of the global public health need. Within the medical community in Seattle and beyond, INTERSECT supports seminars, fellowship programs, publications, and public events.