The Biden administration has unveiled a new initiative aimed at assisting 50 countries in identifying and responding to infectious diseases to prevent future pandemics like the COVID-19 outbreak that brought the world to a standstill in 2020.
Government officials from various U.S. agencies, including the State Department, CDC, HHS, and USAID, will collaborate with these countries to enhance testing, surveillance, communication, and preparedness for potential outbreaks.
While the list of participating countries has not been disclosed, the program is part of a broader global effort to strengthen pandemic response capabilities worldwide.
One country already benefiting from this initiative is Congo, where the U.S. government is aiding in the response to an mpox virus outbreak, offering support such as immunizations to combat the virus that causes painful skin lesions.
The White House is set to launch a website listing the participating countries, with a goal of enrolling 100 nations by the end of the year. The U.S. has allocated billions of dollars to this endeavor, with President Biden requesting $1.2 billion for global health safety efforts in the annual budget proposal to Congress.
