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Q&A: Ex-CDC director Frieden talks gaps in epidemic preparedness
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Experts are certain the world will face another unpredictable infectious disease epidemic, akin to the recent epidemics of Ebola and Zika virus. But how prepared are we?
According to a new website, PreventEpidemics.org, an infectious disease can spread to any country in just 36 hours, but most countries have significant gaps in preparedness and many do not have the tools to effectively find, stop and prevent future epidemics, leaving their citizens at risk.
The site was created by Resolve to Save Lives, an initiative of Vital Strategies, to highlight preparedness gaps, provide advocacy tools and assign readiness scores that reflect a country’s preparedness level. Infectious Disease News spoke with Thomas R. Frieden, MD, MPH, president and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives and former director of the CDC, about the website, existing gaps in preparedness and whether any country is currently prepared for the next epidemic. – by Marley Ghizzone
What does the tool show and how can people use it?
PreventEpidemics.org spotlights gaps in epidemic preparedness and highlights actions countries, donors, activists and organizations can take to fill them. Using the website is simple — from the homepage you can hover over a country you’re interested in learning more about. The country’s ReadyScore will appear — which is a measure of the country’s preparedness based on existing data from the Joint External Evaluation (JEE). You can click to learn more about what that country is doing well and what they need to improve, how quickly they’re making progress, and importantly — actions that can be taken to advance preparedness.
Who is meant to see it?
Anyone! We designed the website for a lay audience, taking existing data and presenting them in a way that is easy to understand. We think journalists and activists will find the information particularly helpful.
Which areas of the world are least prepared to prevent an epidemic?
The purpose of PreventEpidemics.org is to spotlight what each country can do to better prepare for the next health threat, and we’re focusing our effort there. The website intends to motivate communities, countries and global health organizations to prioritize health security by highlighting urgent preparedness needs at the country level.
What gaps exist in underprepared places?
Of the countries that have completed a JEE, there have been more than 5,000 gaps identified. Resolve to Save Lives partners with countries to help step up preparedness, especially in four critical areas: strengthening disease tracking systems, training and staffing epidemiologists, supporting laboratory networks and developing effective rapid response teams.
The United States is one of several countries marked as green — or “Better Prepared,” the highest score. Does that mean no country is totally prepared to prevent an epidemic?
The website looks at two things — how prepared a country is to find, stop and prevent epidemics, and how the country has done addressing gaps that were identified in the assessment. Countries that are “better prepared” scored well on their ability to find, stop and prevent health threats. But all countries had gaps identified, and not a single country has completed the recommended evaluation process. Preparedness is a journey, not a destination, and it requires constant vigilance.
References:
Prevent Epidemics. About PreventEpidemics.org: Bringing Attention to Epidemic Preparedness. https://preventepidemics.org/about/. Accessed June 27, 2018.
Disclosures: Frieden works for Resolve to Save Lives.