Management Sciences for Health Commends the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations for Passing Comprehensive Global Health Legislation
Management Sciences for Health Commends the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations for Passing Comprehensive Global Health Legislation
Arlington, VA—July 28, 2021—Management Sciences for Health (MSH) applauds the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s passage today of the International Pandemic Preparedness and COVID-19 Response Act (S. 2297), legislation to improve global health and pandemic preparedness and enhance COVID-19 response efforts.
The bill, introduced in June by Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), received key input from MSH, including language on health systems strengthening, financing mechanisms, and the U.S. government’s interagency coordination function for preparedness and response.
Related: MSH’s Statement on the Introduction of S. 2297
“This legislation is a critical step in restoring U.S. global leadership on pandemic preparedness and response. It includes clear and actionable commitments that will help the world get COVID-19 under control, and prevent future pandemics,” said Ashley Arabasadi, MSH’s Senior External Affairs Manager and co-chair of the Global Health Security Roundtable, hosted by the Global Health Council. “We thank the Senators for their leadership. As a global health organization working in dozens of countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, MSH stands ready to continue informing and supporting this important legislation.”
Key provisions of the proposed legislation include:
- Responding to the current pandemic
- Enhancing strategic planning
- Strengthening interagency coordination and diplomatic engagement
- Promoting transparency, accountability, and long-term results
- Strengthening USAID’s emergency response capacity
- Joining global efforts to develop vaccines for epidemic diseases
- Improving early detection and response of potential pandemic threats
- Creating opportunities for innovation and burden-sharing
- Responding to the current pandemic
- Enhancing strategic planning
- Strengthening interagency coordination and diplomatic engagement
- Promoting transparency, accountability, and long-term results
- Strengthening USAID’s emergency response capacity
- Joining global efforts to develop vaccines for epidemic diseases
- Improving early detection and response of potential pandemic threats
- Creating opportunities for innovation and burden-sharing
The full text of the legislation is available here.