USAID EARMARKS $125M TO CHECK FUTURE PANDEMICS
Written by Samson Ojeniran on October 6, 2021
The United States has set aside $125 million to strengthen global capacity to detect viral spillover from wildlife to humans that could cause another pandemic.
Discovery & Exploration of Emerging Pathogens – Viral Zoonoses (DEEP VZN) will partner global community to prepare for future human health threats.
In a statement issued by The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated how infectious diseases threaten society and a strong reminder of the connection between animals, humans, and the environment.
According to the statement, Outbreaks do not respect geographic boundaries and can spread rapidly, jeopardizing the health, safety, and economic security of every country — including the United States.
DEEP VZN will advance the U.S. Government’s global health security and foreign policy priorities by supporting efforts to prevent, detect, and respond to new infectious disease threats abroad.
The Washington State University Paul Allen School for Global Health will implement DEEP VZN with a consortium of partners that include the University of Washington, FHI 360, PATH, and Washington University in St. Louis.
Since 2009, USAID’s Global Health Security Program has supported work to safely discover and understand new viruses from animals at high-risk locations.
DEEP VZN will work in targeted countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America that have both a high risk for viral spillover and the capacity to safely conduct viral discovery.
Editor: Ena Agbanoma
