Doctoral student DVM Mariella Aalto-Araneda, from the Department of Food Hygiene and Environmental Health, represented Finland at the Next Generation Global Health Security (GHS) Leaders Meeting in Washington D.C., where 35 young professionals of various disciplines shared ideas on promoting global health security. Aalto-Araneda also participates in drafting of the charter and planning of future activities for the Next Generation Global Health Security (GHS) Leaders’ group.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry supported Mariella Aalto-Araneda’s participation in the event: they were looking for a person with a strong scientific background in One Health, which is a key element in the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) health partnership. “Having been considered in the application process and chosen as the delegate, both are merits for our department and our faculty. This demonstrates that veterinarian’s expertise in infectious diseases, epidemiology and food hygiene was deemed important in the public discussion on global health security. In the future, for our department, networking with the GHSA partners can result in research collaboration or requests to act as representatives in similar events”, says Aalto-Araneda.
The Next Generation GHS Leaders Meeting was held at the White House Conference Center. The 35 participants of the meeting came from 15 different countries and represented disciplines from business, law and policy to microbiology and medicine; one other participant was veterinarian like Aalto-Araneda. At the meeting, participants brainstormed about projects that young professionals could carry out individually or collectively to strengthen the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA). They also discussed how the Next Generation GHS Leaders’ group cloud be organized as a global network of young professionals working with health security related issues. “The aim of the GHSA is to prevent infectious disease epidemics and detect and respond to health threats in time. This relates to the challenges posed by globalization and health threats caused by tropical infectious diseases, such as Ebola and MERS-coronavirus. To achieve the objectives, GHSA partners commit to building capacity for preparedness programs, implementing the World Health Organization’s International Health Regulations and strengthening cooperation between different administrative sectors and international organizations”, Aalto-Araneda describes.
Stakeholders leading the health partnership wish to create opportunities for young professionals to bring forth new ideas that will strengthen the GHSA. This is why the US initiated the Next Generation GHS Leaders, a group which met for first time in September 2014 in conjunction with the GHSA governmental meeting. The group is planning to meet again and expand its actions in the future: the aim is to establish the group’s position as part of the GHSA, and to inspire new young professionals from around the world to get involved. Aalto-Araneda participates in the preparation of the Next Generation GHS Leaders charter and planning of future activities.
“This Next Generation GHS Leaders Meeting in Washington was an independent event, whose aim was to discuss potential further plans for young professionals’ cooperation within the GHSA. In any case, I will stay in touch with the GHSA leaders and the young professionals’ group. Plans to initiate similar young professionals’ activities in Finland have been discussed; more news on this cooperation and its effects inside the university circles will hopefully follow later! “, Aalto-Araneda sums up.
In addition to the Next Generation GHS Leaders Meeting, Aalto-Araneda attended the conference “Global Health Security Agenda: Non-Governmental Perspectives on Addressing Emerging and Evolving Biological Threats” at George Washington University, as well as the reception of Ambassador Ritva Koukku-Ronde at the Finnish Embassy in Washington D.C.
The five-year GHSA health partnership was launched on the initiative of the United States in February 2014, and 45 countries have so far committed to it. In addition to individual countries, the European Union, World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) are also involved.
A governmental meeting for the Global Health Security Agenda was organized on 26th September, 2014 in Washington D.C., the United States. Finland’s representatives at the meeting were the Minister of Health and Social Services Susanna Huovinen and her delegation. Finland is part of the GHSA’s steering group and will hold its presidency in 2015. In addition to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense take part in the GHSA partnership in Finland.