Countering Biological Threats Challenges for the Department of Defense's Nonproliferation Program Beyond the Former Soviet Union (2009) / Chapter Skim
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4 Biosecurity-Related Activities of Other Organizations
4 Biosecurity-Related Activities of Other Organizations
Pages 91-110
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From page 91... ...
Some of these and other more recent entrants into the field of international development are sharply focused on 91
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From page 92... ...
The feasibility and desirability of such partnerships should be of special interest to BTRP. ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY SUPPORT BTRP ACTIVITIES BTRP provides funds to an extensive array of support organizations for activities in the FSU.
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From page 93... ...
A few universities and nongovernmental organizations are involved in such arrangements. While BTRP has positions for only 22 government employees, more than 1,200 people are currently working on BTRP activities as employees of contractors or participating through interagency arrangements, with BTRP providing the necessary funds.
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From page 94... ...
Global assistance is directed in the following areas: • Strengthening laboratory biosafety and biosecurity, including best practices, standard operating procedures, personnel reliability programs, and enhanced physical security measures • Ensuring safe, secure, and sustainable laboratory buildings, education, planning, management, and operations • Enhancing molecular diagnostics and disease surveillance networks • Fostering collaborative research projects in priority areas to engage scientists and promote sustainable implementation • Advancing host-nation commitments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) , particularly as they pertain to best practices, laboratory capacity development, and areas surrounding laboratory biosafety and biosecurity • Promoting global cooperation on biosecurity standards, regulations, and legislation The legislative basis for the Department of State's activities is set forth in Box 4-1.
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From page 95... ...
Department of Defense Appendix E identifies many of the components of DOD that have programs with biosecurity dimensions in the developing countries beyond the FSU. In recent years, relevant DOD activities in addition to BTRP have involved specialists from more than 100 developing countries and are continuing to expand.
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From page 96... ...
in Jakarta and the Naval Medical Research Center Detachment in Lima, an Early Warning Outbreak Recognition System has expanded, facilitating regional networks to provide outbreak recognition. • The Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences in Bangkok has a satellite laboratory in Nepal, which detected and provided advance notice of influenza virus genetic changes that later emerged globally, allowing better vaccine strain selection worldwide.
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From page 97... ...
In their view, discomfort within DOD with BTRP activities is rapidly being replaced with determination to gain acceptance of BTRP by governments of distant countries. During discussions with committee members, senior officials and biosecurity specialists in several countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America expressed the view that cooperation with BTRP based on mutual interests and benefits would be welcomed.
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From page 98... ...
Transfers of BTRP funds to DOD's overseas laboratories for participation in BTRP programs may be appropriate at times and could well influence internal enthusiasm for an expanded BTRP presence. Such transfers could be particularly important in countries where sensitivities to an expanded DOD presence may be high, but where the overseas laboratories have already established positive relationships.
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From page 99... ...
Other USAID health programs are directed to avian influenza, tuberculosis, neglected tropical diseases, child survival and maternal health, and water supply and sanitation. Crosscutting all of these activities are efforts to strengthen health systems on a broad basis.
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From page 100... ...
Moreover, CDC employs and trains local staff from each of its platform countries and is an important partner in worldwide efforts to build public health capacity. CDC's global health work supports the newly revised IHR through a connected network of growing partners within the U.S.
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From page 101... ...
In 2004, CDC began the Global Disease Detection Program (GDD) to develop and strengthen global health capacity for identifying and responding to emerging infections and bioterrorist threats around the world.
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In some cases, they may be more appropriate than BTRP to be the lead agency in the country of interest to BTRP. World Bank The World Bank and the other international development banks have for decades financed major health and agricultural programs that intersect with
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From page 103... ...
Also, because of the size and impact of major bank loans, a representative of one of the banks who is located in the field, such as the World Bank country director, often becomes a de facto coordinator for the international community interested in health or agriculture system improvements in the developing country of interest, working as cochair with a local official of a consultative committee. An important aspect of the activities of the banks is the attention given to early comprehensive analyses of the local situation in the specific field of interest.
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From page 104... ...
Given the sizes of the portfolios of disease-related activities of the international development banks in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe, as well as the World Bank, these organizations should be of special interest to BTRP. In some cases, such an international development bank might be an appropriate lead organization in a country of interest to BTRP.
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From page 105... ...
Google.org, a newcomer to international development, has already committed $30 million in grants to identify hot spots where diseases may emerge, to detect new pathogens and outbreaks earlier, and to respond quickly to prevent local threats from becoming global crises. More specifically, its projects are intended to • enhance the use of automated systems for effective disease surveillance; • improve pathogen discovery and understanding of those classes of viruses that pose the greatest threat; and
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From page 106... ...
The initiative emphasizes the following activities: • Strengthening health care systems • Donating and discounting medicines • Developing and delivering innovative diagnostics • Providing health care assistance during emergencies and disasters • Conducting research and development on new medicines • Developing new policy ideas and solutions Global Health Progress has recently published a special report on the activities of its members in developing countries, which is available online at www.globalhealthprogress.org. It is particularly interested in the 14 neglected tropical diseases identified by WHO. Its growing network should be of interest to BTRP and to other organizations concerned about biosecurity in developing countries.
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From page 107... ...
Compliance of a broad membership with the bioethics principle set forth in Box 4-9 would be of direct relevance to BTRP's interests. The International Council for the Life Sciences, with initial financial support from the Nuclear Threat Initiative foundation, is one of the most active NGOs in promoting improved disease surveillance and response capabilities in developing countries.
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From page 108... ...
In developing countries beyond the FSU, the array of relevant foreign organizations will be larger, with a stronger emphasis on international development and with less experience in some aspects of biosecurity. Sharing experiences among organizations and identifying ways to develop mutually supporting activities are increasingly important as the U.S.
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From page 109... ...
Recommendation 4-8: BTRP should station regional or country representatives in areas where new activities are initiated with responsibility for keeping abreast of related activities and for promoting synergies among BTRP activities and related interests of other organizations. After BTRP begins to engage in a country, the most effective way to keep abreast of activities in the country that intersect or could intersect with BTRP activities is a specialist on the ground in or near the country of interest.
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From page 110... ...
Once BTRP begins to engage with a specific country, specialists from the two countries should be working together regularly. At the same time, representatives of BTRP should periodically meet with senior officials to ensure that the busy officials are involved in the process to the extent possible, recognizing the many other demands on the time of key officials.
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