At a glance
Partnership is the engine that fuels our efforts. In countries around the world, CDC’s Division of Global Health Protection plays a crucial role in creating collaborations and making critical connections between communities, public health experts, health care facilities, country partners, global health organizations, and other key stakeholders for greatest impact. The following list highlights some of our key partners and is not exhaustive.
Training Programs in Epidemiology and Public Health Interventions Network (TEPHINET)
CDC works closely with TEPHINET to strengthen public health systems and advance health security around the world. Established in 1997, TEPHINET operates as a program of the Task Force for Global Health and connects over 80 Field Epidemiology Training Programs (FETPs) across more than 100 countries. FETP plays a pivotal role in CDC’s efforts to effectively respond to global health threats.
TEPHINET partners with countries worldwide to train a powerful network of global health workers to ensure every country is equipped to protect and improve public health. In fact, TEPHINET has co-hosted an annual conference, FETP International Night, for over 20 years that has been a cornerstone of CDC’s commitment to global health. This conference provides a forum for FETP residents and graduates to give scientific presentations and increase their knowledge about surveillance, outbreak investigations, and improving health outcomes in their respective countries.
CDC remains dedicated to working with TEPHINET and other partners to enhance field epidemiology skills, protect communities, and enhance global health security.
Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative
CDC collaborates with Bloomberg Philanthropies and other partners to improve the quality of public health data in low- to middle-income countries across Latin America, Asia, and Africa. The Bloomberg Data for Health initiative strengthens how countries collect and use critical public health information. As part of the innovation, Data for Health has expanded partnerships to more than 40 countries to enhance the quality of birth and death registration, improve information about causes of death, explore innovative approaches to gather information about non-communicable diseases, support cancer registries at the country level, and translate data into actionable programs and policy.
CDC provides unique, on-the-ground training and mentorship in countries, using epidemiology case studies and other effective learning strategies, in partnership with National Public Health Institutes, Ministries of Health, and other partners. CDC's work with Data for Health is resulting in meaningful, data-driven policies to protect health and improve lives globally. CDC's longstanding relationships with partners allow us to leverage a shared commitment to public health, enhancing our global efforts to advance health security together.
Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN)
Over the past two decades, CDC has been a crucial partner of GOARN, a leading global network dedicated to responding to public health crises. The network collaborates with WHO, multilateral organizations, National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs), academic institutions, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to rapidly identify, confirm, and respond to international public health emergencies.
GOARN leverages the expertise and resources of its extensive network, including CDC’s DGHP, to aid in the deployment of humanitarians and subject matter experts globally. One vital role CDC plays within GOARN is conducting event-based surveillance (EBS), which is critical for identifying and tracking infectious diseases and other significant public health events. By collaborating with GOARN, CDC improves global health security by helping countries respond more rapidly to disease threats and enhancing public health systems worldwide.
The Global Health Security Agenda
The Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) is a collaborative effort aimed to accelerate the implementation of the World Health Organization's (WHO) International Health Regulations (IHR). With a growing partnership of more than 70 nations, CDC's DGHP partners with GHSA to strengthen the capacity – in countries and globally – to prevent, detect, and respond to diseases.
The United States made a strong commitment to the initial five-year period of GHSA and continues to support its key goals. Through Joint External Evaluation (JEE), countries can measure their progress towards meeting GHSA goals. CDC works directly with 31 countries to support progress toward GHSA targets. This partnership helps to strengthen and sustain public health readiness to contain outbreaks at their source.
Global Laboratory Leadership Programme (GLLP)
CDC's DGHP collaborates with the Global Laboratory Leadership Programme (GLLP) to improve global health security by strengthening national laboratory systems through a One Health approach. At the 2014 launch of the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), DGHP identified important gaps in the training of laboratory leaders, emphasizing the urgent need to improve global capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease outbreaks. In response, DGHP, alongside other partners, established GLLP to foster and mentor current and emerging leaders to build, strengthen, and sustain national laboratory systems.
Through this partnership, DGHP and GLLP developed the Laboratory Leadership Competency Framework, which outlines nine core competencies essential for laboratory leaders to lead sustainable laboratories and build strong laboratory systems. The Framework is delivered via the GLLP Learning Package, which is accessible on the WHO Health Security Learning Platform. This platform offers flexible virtual, or in-person training options tailored to meet the public health workforce needs of various countries.
CDC's ongoing collaboration as a GLLP partner makes sure laboratory leaders get specialized training and strengthens the capabilities of countries to respond effectively to future outbreaks and health emergencies.