Strengthening capacity for pandemic preparedness in Ghana and Bangladesh

Descriptions

APHA's International Development Team has been working closely with Defra and otheragencies,namely The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) and Fera Science Ltd, to pursue a programme of global 'One Health' outreach. Our focus is to extend the range of strategic opportunities and international partnerships across the entire remit of the agency to consolidateour status as an international 'Go To' agency in the combat against major disease outbreaks of animal and plant origin whether of natural, accidental or deliberate release. More recently, funding from Defra Official Development Assistance (ODA) sources isallowing APHA to develop a topical capability-building programme on "Understanding the Transmission Chain of Emerging Pathogens from Wildlife to Pandemic Diseases" by providing technical assistance and resilience against future disease outbreaks. The aim of this project is to develop detection, intervention and early researchcapability response measures to (re-) emerging zoonotic pathogens in low to middle income countriesincluding,and in light of,the on-going Covid-19 pandemic and prepare for the next Disease-X.