Health Security Partners

The World Health Organization states that 305 million people worldwide are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, including medical care and support for disease surveillance, due to worldwide conflict and epidemics. On January 16, 2025, the WHO launched its Health Emergency Appeal for 2025. The appeal addresses priorities and resources needed to combat 42 ongoing critical global health emergencies that are noted to have grown in scale. In 2025, HSP will continue its work to strengthen global health security by building local capacity to combat global health crises, as well as to work to prevent them. The WHO’s call to action is confirmation that the work being done within the global health community is vital to the individuals and communities that are in need, and that this need only grows every year. HSP is grateful to our partnerships across the globe, without whom we would not be able to accomplish our work, and we look forward to furthering our work to strengthen global health security in the coming years. You can find the recording of the live stream event here: https://lnkd.in/gQwtkCRX.

Last month, India Bowman, HSP’s Senior Program Specialist, had the privilege of attending the "Benchtop to Bedside Use of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Data: CRO Workshop" in Bangkok, Thailand. As a former infection preventionist with hospital experience, she was able to quickly connect with the workshop material, which spanned various disciplines, including clinical care, laboratory processes, and public health strategies. The interdisciplinary approach underscored the complexity of tackling AMR from multiple angles, and it was rewarding to see how data-driven interventions can inform both local and global health practices. Several key challenges emerged during the workshop that resonated deeply with India, particularly as recurring themes in global healthcare interventions: 1. Human Behavioral Change One of the most significant obstacles in tackling AMR is shifting human behavior—whether it's healthcare workers adopting new protocols or patients adhering to treatment guidelines. Overcoming ingrained habits and resistance to change is crucial, yet it remains one of the most difficult aspects of healthcare interventions, as demonstrated in several workshop discussions. 2. Difficulties in Multidisciplinary Stakeholder Buy-in Gaining consensus and support across a variety of stakeholders—doctors, nurses, administrators, and policymakers—can be a major hurdle. Participants shared stories of slow or reluctant buy-in from hospital leadership and staff when it came to implementing new policies or procedures. This challenge is often exacerbated by the need for alignment between clinical, administrative, and governmental entities, which can stall progress. 3. Human Resource Limitations Even when solutions are identified, the reality of limited human resources—whether in terms of staff, training, or expertise—often hampers implementation. Many hospitals and healthcare systems struggle with insufficient personnel, inadequate training, or the lack of technical resources to effectively execute interventions. This issue is particularly pronounced in lower-resource settings, but even high-resource countries are not immune to these limitations. These challenges are not new to India; as an infection preventionist, she encountered them regularly throughout her career. However, seeing them reflected in the experiences of colleagues from various countries provided a sobering reminder of how universal these barriers are in global healthcare systems. Addressing them will require ongoing collaboration, innovation, and persistence. Overall, the workshop was an invaluable opportunity to learn from others, share insights, and reaffirm the importance of addressing these foundational issues as we continue our collective fight against antimicrobial resistance.

HSP is supporting the U.S. CDC and ASEAN Public Health Emergency Management Emerging Leaders Program’s (PHEM ELP) Module 3 in Pattaya, Thailand, from January 6-24, 2025. In attendance are 26 public health professionals from all 10 ASEAN member states. This week’s training covered Public Health Law and Rapid Response Teams, and included a site visit to Thailand’s Department of Public Health Emergency Management (DPHEM) and Department of Disease Control’s Emergency Control Center (DDC EOC). Next week Module 3 will conclude with a focus on Risk Assessments, Plans Development Processes, a simulation exercise, and the conclusion of this cohort.

The 3rd day of the Health Security Partners 2nd Chemical Security Workshop continues without losing our motivation and energy! Today's topics are; Building a chemical security training currículum, Safe and secure chemical storage, Chemical supply chain reputation and reliability, Chemical handling and disposal, Incident response/reporting and emergency decommissioning! Arif KIVRAK Aysen GARGILI Hakan DAL Prof. Dr. Hilal Demir Kivrak Erin R. Fink ????????

The Fleming Fund Country Grant Pakistan, under the leadership of the Animal Husbandry Commissioner Office, facilitated a two-day "Training on Establishment of a BioRisk Management System" 23-24 December at the Sindh Institute of Animal Health, Karachi The Chief Veterinary Officer inaugurated the training session and visited the lab facility, commending the efforts to enhance biosafety and biosecurity measures. Samreen Sarwar Health Security Partners conducted in-depth sessions covering critical aspects such as biocontainment facilities, biosecurity, biological waste management, emergency response procedures, risk assessment methodologies, and biosafety principles. This initiative is a significant step forward in strengthening health security and biological risk management in Pakistan's animal health sector. Qadeer Ahsan Abdul Rehman tamoor hamid chaudhry Dr. Syeda Anum Hadi One Health Pakistan

I'm excited to share that I've completed my IFBA professional certification in Cyber Biosecurity! This certification demonstrates my expertise in protecting the intersection of biology and cybersecurity, and I'm eager to apply my knowledge to help organizations safeguard their sensitive information and assets. As a certified Cyber Biosecurity professional, I've gained a deep understanding of the latest threats, vulnerabilities, and mitigation strategies in this critical field. I am thankful to Health Security Partners for supporting me. special thanks to Samreen Sarwar and Pakistan Biological Safety Association (PBSA) and International Federation of Biosafety Associations #CyberBiosecurity #IFBA #Certification #Cybersecurity #Biosecurity #ProfessionalDevelopment #CareerGrowth"

Dr. Ahson Jabbar Shaikh - a member of the Institutional Biosafety Committee of COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus - attended a workshop on the topic i.e., “Strengthening of Institutional Biosafety committees by training on RCR (Responsible Conduct in Research), KYC (Know Your Collaborator), and Due Diligence” in #Islamabad on 18-19 November 2024 at Sintra Hotel, Islamabad. This workshop was organized by Government College University, Faisalabad and Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR), Lahore in collaboration with Health Security Partners, #USA. The workshop was concluded by the final assessment of participants and upon successful results, the participants were provided with certificates of participation. Prof Dr Khalid Rauf Dr. Asim Ali Dr Shujaat Ali Khan

"2nd Chemical Security Workshop" sponsored by USA Health Security Partners Health Security Partners