The International Society for Infectious Diseases (ISID) has published six global health priorities to be addressed at its 2024 congress.
ISID’s congress in Cape Town, South Africa this December aims to encourage governments to prioritise the health of humans, animals and the environment.
Developed ahead of the congress, the new priorities listed aim to guide the work of clinicians, scientists, researchers, veterinarians, community leaders and governments in preventing, investigating and managing communicable disease outbreaks.
More specifically, it focuses on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) that are challenged by limited healthcare infrastructure, a lack of economic resources and a disproportionate infectious disease burden.
“Collaboration and partnership are essential for building a resilient global health ecosystem capable of withstanding emerging outbreaks,” explained professor Paul Tambyah, president, ISID.
He added that the new health priorities “provide a clear guide for health and community leaders to focus their resources… to tackle these challenges together”.
The list outlines a focus on the threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and untreatable infections; climate change and disease; pandemic preparedness; sexually transmitted infections, including HIV; the challenge of tuberculosis; and capacity building in LMICs for infectious disease research.
Designated as one of the top ten global public threats facing humanity by the World Health Organization (WHO), AMR occurs when bacteria, fungi and parasites change and adapt antibiotics over time.
Most recently, WHO published its latest report on antibacterial agents, including antibiotics, in clinical and preclinical development globally to improve research and development for addressing infectious diseases and AMR.
Additionally, WHO recently granted Takeda’s dengue vaccination prequalification to be used in children aged six to 16 years in areas with high infection rates of the infectious mosquito-borne viral tropical disease.
WHO has also pushed efforts to increase pandemic preparedness globally at the 2024 World Health Assembly (WHA) to conclude a pandemic agreement and strengthen the International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005).
Focusing on the theme of ‘All for Health, Health for All’, WHO Member States established that they would focus on finalising the package of amendments to the IHR, 2005 and agreed on the timing format and process to conclude the pandemic agreement.