Global health affects everyone because disease knows no borders. Outbreaks of Ebola and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), as well as other illnesses, such as avian flu or tuberculosis (TB), show how an interconnected world has increased our vulnerability to health threats.
Global health security is the capacity to prepare for and respond to public health threats and reduce or prevent their spread across borders. At the core of global health security are strong health systems with the resources and personnel needed to identify threats, respond quickly, and prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
What role should security stakeholders play in an integrated, comprehensive approach to health security? How can institutions work together to ensure resilience and efficiency in the face of public health emergencies caused by epidemics or conflicts? How can the positive work of actors such as the military in fragile or conflict-ridden states serve as examples to learn from? These and other questions will be discussed as part of the global health security panel.