Groups seek funds countering biological threats

The Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) has joined over 60 global health security organizations in calling for bolstered funding in the Trump Administration’s 2020 budget request to counter biological threats.

The groups forwarded correspondence to Secretary of Health and Human Services and Chair of the newly established U.S. Biodefense Steering Committee Alex Azar, advocating for a fiscal year 2020 funding request reflecting the nation’s commitment to advance the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), a partnership of more than 64 countries and organizations launched in 2014.

NTI is joining its partners in recommending the budget funding request enhance leadership and programs focused on building the capacities required to stop outbreaks at the source. The initiatives include global health security efforts implemented by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Agency for International Development, as well as biosecurity and biosurveillance programs implemented by the Department of Defense and State.

The organizations are encouraging the budget request to reflect the importance the Administration has placed on global health security as a national security priority within the National Biodefense Strategy. Global health security programs across departments and agencies should seek full funding in their FY 2020 budget requests to accomplish the global mission of keeping the population safe and secure from infectious disease threats.