Global health security: the wider lessons from the west African Ebola virus disease epidemic

doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60858-3

Review

. 2015 May 9;385(9980):1884-901.

doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60858-3.

Global health security: the wider lessons from the west African Ebola virus disease epidemic

David L Heymann¹, Lincoln Chen², Keizo Takemi³, David P Fidler⁴, Jordan W Tappero⁵, Mathew J Thomas⁵, Thomas A Kenyon⁶, Thomas R Frieden⁷, Derek Yach⁸, Sania Nishtar⁹, Alex Kalache¹⁰, Piero L Olliaro¹¹, Peter Horby¹², Els Torreele¹³, Lawrence O Gostin¹⁴, Margareth Ndomondo-Sigonda¹⁵, Daniel Carpenter¹⁶, Simon Rushton¹⁷, Louis Lillywhite¹⁸, Bhimsen Devkota¹⁹, Khalid Koser²⁰, Rob Yates¹⁸, Ranu S Dhillon²¹, Ravi P Rannan-Eliya²²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK; Centre on Global Health Security, London, UK. Electronic address: david.heymann@lshtm.ac.uk.
² China Medical Board, Cambridge, MA, USA.
³ Japan House of Councillors, Tokyo, Japan.
⁴ Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Bloomington, IN, USA.
⁵ Division of Global Health Protection, Atlanta, GA, USA.
⁶ Center for Global Health, Atlanta, GA, USA.
⁷ US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
⁸ Vitality Institute, New York, NY, USA; World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Ageing, Geneva, Switzerland.
⁹ Heartfile, Islamabad, Pakistan.
¹⁰ International Longevity Centre (ILC) Global Alliance and ILC-Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; New York Academy of Medicine, NY, USA; HelpAge International, London, UK.
¹¹ UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme on Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland; Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
¹² Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
¹³ Public Health Program, Open Society Foundations, New York, NY, USA.
¹⁴ O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law, Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, DC, USA.
¹⁵ New Partnership for Africa's Development, Pretoria, South Africa.
¹⁶ Department of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
¹⁷ Chatham House, Royal Institute of International Affairs, London, UK; Department of Politics, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
¹⁸ Chatham House, Royal Institute of International Affairs, London, UK.
¹⁹ Chatham House, Royal Institute of International Affairs, London, UK; Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal.
²⁰ Centre on Global Health Security, London, UK.
²¹ Division of Global Health Equity, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA; Earth Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
²² Institute for Health Policy, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

PMID: 25987157
PMCID: PMC5856330
DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60858-3

Review

Global health security: the wider lessons from the west African Ebola virus disease epidemic

David L Heymann et al. Lancet. 2015.

. 2015 May 9;385(9980):1884-901.

doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60858-3.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK; Centre on Global Health Security, London, UK. Electronic address: david.heymann@lshtm.ac.uk.
² China Medical Board, Cambridge, MA, USA.
³ Japan House of Councillors, Tokyo, Japan.
⁴ Indiana University Maurer School of Law, Bloomington, IN, USA.
⁵ Division of Global Health Protection, Atlanta, GA, USA.
⁶ Center for Global Health, Atlanta, GA, USA.
⁷ US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
⁸ Vitality Institute, New York, NY, USA; World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Ageing, Geneva, Switzerland.
⁹ Heartfile, Islamabad, Pakistan.
¹⁰ International Longevity Centre (ILC) Global Alliance and ILC-Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; New York Academy of Medicine, NY, USA; HelpAge International, London, UK.
¹¹ UNICEF/UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Programme on Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR), World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland; Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
¹² Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
¹³ Public Health Program, Open Society Foundations, New York, NY, USA.
¹⁴ O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law, Georgetown University Law Center, Washington, DC, USA.
¹⁵ New Partnership for Africa's Development, Pretoria, South Africa.
¹⁶ Department of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
¹⁷ Chatham House, Royal Institute of International Affairs, London, UK; Department of Politics, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
¹⁸ Chatham House, Royal Institute of International Affairs, London, UK.
¹⁹ Chatham House, Royal Institute of International Affairs, London, UK; Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal.
²⁰ Centre on Global Health Security, London, UK.
²¹ Division of Global Health Equity, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA; Earth Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
²² Institute for Health Policy, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

PMID: 25987157
PMCID: PMC5856330
DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60858-3

Abstract

The Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa was unprecedented in both its scale and impact. Out of this human calamity has come renewed attention to global health security--its definition, meaning, and the practical implications for programmes and policy. For example, how does a government begin to strengthen its core public health capacities, as demanded by the International Health Regulations? What counts as a global health security concern? In the context of the governance of global health, including WHO reform, it will be important to distil lessons learned from the Ebola outbreak. The Lancet invited a group of respected global health practitioners to reflect on these lessons, to explore the idea of global health security, and to offer suggestions for next steps. Their contributions describe some of the major threats to individual and collective human health, as well as the values and recommendations that should be considered to counteract such threats in the future. Many different perspectives are proposed. Their common goal is a more sustainable and resilient society for human health and wellbeing.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

**Figure**
Mock country dashboard for periodic independent assessments of progress made towards Global Health Security Agenda targets

See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

Health security and political and economic determinants of Ebola.
Patel MS, Phillips CB. Patel MS, et al. Lancet. 2015 Aug 22;386(9995):737-8. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)61533-1. Lancet. 2015. PMID: 26333968 No abstract available.
Medicrime convention: against falsified medical products.
Venhuis BJ, Mosimann R, Wijnberg B. Venhuis BJ, et al. Lancet. 2015 Aug 29;386(9996):855-6. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)00015-X. Lancet. 2015. PMID: 26335879 No abstract available.

Cited by

Building a resilient health system for universal health coverage and health security: a systematic review.
Debie A, Nigusie A, Gedle D, Khatri RB, Assefa Y. Debie A, et al. Glob Health Res Policy. 2024 Jan 4;9(1):2. doi: 10.1186/s41256-023-00340-z. Glob Health Res Policy. 2024. PMID: 38173020 Free PMC article. Review.
The Governance of Childhood Vaccination Services in Crisis Settings: A Scoping Review.
Abdelmagid N, Southgate RJ, Alhaffar M, Ahmed M, Bani H, Mounier-Jack S, Dahab M, Checchi F, Sabahelzain MM, Nor B, Rao B, Singh NS. Abdelmagid N, et al. Vaccines (Basel). 2023 Dec 14;11(12):1853. doi: 10.3390/vaccines11121853. Vaccines (Basel). 2023. PMID: 38140257 Free PMC article. Review.
Assessing pandemic preparedness, response, and lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic in four south American countries: agenda for the future.
Ramírez Varela A, Touchton M, Miranda JJ, Grueso JM, Laajaj R, Carrasquilla G, Florez MV, Gaviria AMV, Hoyos AMO, Duarte EOV, Morales AV, Velasco N, Restrepo SR. Ramírez Varela A, et al. Front Public Health. 2023 Nov 29;11:1274737. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1274737. eCollection 2023. Front Public Health. 2023. PMID: 38094236 Free PMC article.
Systems analysis of the effects of the 2014-16 Ebola crisis on WHO-reporting nations' policy adaptations and 2020-21 COVID-19 response: a systematized review.
Hanson-DeFusco J, Shi M, Du Z, Zounon O, Hounnouvi FM, DeFusco A. Hanson-DeFusco J, et al. Global Health. 2023 Dec 5;19(1):96. doi: 10.1186/s12992-023-00997-8. Global Health. 2023. PMID: 38053050 Free PMC article.
Preparedness, impacts, and responses of public health emergencies towards health security: qualitative synthesis of evidence.
Khatri RB, Endalamaw A, Erku D, Wolka E, Nigatu F, Zewdie A, Assefa Y. Khatri RB, et al. Arch Public Health. 2023 Nov 30;81(1):208. doi: 10.1186/s13690-023-01223-y. Arch Public Health. 2023. PMID: 38037151 Free PMC article.

See all "Cited by" articles

References

1. McInnes C, Kelley L. Health, security and foreign policy. Rev Int Stud. 2006;32:5–23.
1. Collins A. Contemporary security studies. 2nd edn. Oxford University Press; Oxford: 2010.
1. Booth K. Theory of world security. Cambridge University Press; Cambridge: 2007.
1. Davies SE. Securitizing infectious disease. Int Aff. 2008;84:295–313.
1. Fidler DP. Public health and national security in the global age: infectious diseases, bioterrorism, and realpolitik. Geo Wash Int Law Rev. 2003;416:787–856.

Publication types

Actions

MeSH terms

Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources
Medical
- Genetic Alliance
- MedlinePlus Health Information

[1] McInnes C, Kelley L. Health, security and foreign policy. Rev Int Stud. 2006;32:5–23.

[2] McInnes C, Kelley L. Health, security and foreign policy. Rev Int Stud. 2006;32:5–23.

[3] Collins A. Contemporary security studies. 2nd edn. Oxford University Press; Oxford: 2010.

[4] Collins A. Contemporary security studies. 2nd edn. Oxford University Press; Oxford: 2010.

[5] Booth K. Theory of world security. Cambridge University Press; Cambridge: 2007.

[6] Booth K. Theory of world security. Cambridge University Press; Cambridge: 2007.

[7] Davies SE. Securitizing infectious disease. Int Aff. 2008;84:295–313.

[8] Davies SE. Securitizing infectious disease. Int Aff. 2008;84:295–313.

[9] Fidler DP. Public health and national security in the global age: infectious diseases, bioterrorism, and realpolitik. Geo Wash Int Law Rev. 2003;416:787–856.

[10] Fidler DP. Public health and national security in the global age: infectious diseases, bioterrorism, and realpolitik. Geo Wash Int Law Rev. 2003;416:787–856.

Save citation to file

Email citation

Add to Collections

Add to My Bibliography

Your saved search

Create a file for external citation management software

Your RSS Feed

Global health security: the wider lessons from the west African Ebola virus disease epidemic

Affiliations

Global health security: the wider lessons from the west African Ebola virus disease epidemic

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Figures

Comment in

Similar articles

Cited by

References

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Medical

Abstract

Figures

Comment in

Similar articles

Cited by

References

Publication types

MeSH terms

Related information

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Medical