Today’s world of increasing interconnectivity and mobility accelerates the shared global risk to human health and well-being; a pathogen from a remote village can reach major cities on all continents within 36 hours. To address this threat, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) brings unique technical expertise, capabilities, and decades of experience to its role in protecting people from global infectious diseases. Captain Nancy Knight, who leads the CDC’s Division of Global Health Protection and spent a decade overseas with CDC, provided an overview of how the agency works directly with other countries to address vulnerabilities in their ability to prevent, detect, and respond to outbreaks. Using country case studies and data, she illustrated the progress made in health security over the last few years, as well as the gaps that remain. From the economic impact of pandemics to the national security implications of lax biosafety, she offered a unique perspective on the ways in which CDC helps protect the health, safety, and security of people around the world.
This event was part of the Global Health Security Seminar Series, co-sponsored by Georgetown’s Center for Global Health Science and Security and the Global Health Initiative. Over the course of the 2017-2018 academic year, speakers in the series will address critical issues in global health in an effort to promote greater dialogue regarding pandemic preparedness across the university and the wider Washington, D.C., community.
Captain Nancy Knight, M.D., has worked for CDC for the past 10 years. She currently serves as director of the Division of Global Health Protection and was previously the country director for CDC-South Africa. Throughout her international career, Dr. Knight has advanced public health priorities, and has led the development, coordination, and implementation of key public health policies and programs.
