Strong Health Systems Are the

Foundation for Global Health Security

Jennifer B. Nuzzo, DrPH, SM

Senior Scholar
Capacities

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 About the Johns Hopkins Center for Health
Security
Founded by D. A. Henderson

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1918 Influenza Pandemic

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 Philadelphia, October 1918

• October 8: 1-2 deaths /day

• October 18: 759 deaths/day
• In peak week of Oct: 4,597 deaths
• In month of Oct: 15,000 deaths
• ~500,000 sick at the same time

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 Then and Now

In 1918, there were no:

• Vaccines
• Antivirals
• Antibiotics
• Ventilators
• IV fluids
• Oxygen
• ICUs

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 Ebola: Impact on health sector

Source: http://www.who.int/hrh/documents/21may2015_web_final.pdf
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Health Facilities Can Serve as Amplifiers of
Disease

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Insufficient Medical Care Undermined Public
Health Control Measures

"Do not lose hope.”

"Trust your health care workers. They're there to help

you."
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 Gaps in Efforts to Measure and Motivate
Health System Resilience
Health System Resilience Overlap with JEE Capacities
Capacities
Communication
Infection Prevention & Control YES
Access to Financing
Leadership & Command Structure
Surge Capacity Maybe
Healthcare Workforce
Medical Supplies & Equipment
Barriers to Healthcare Access
Maintaining Critical Infrastructure &
Transportation NO
Altered Standards of Care
Commitment to Quality Improvement
Plans for Post-Event Recovery

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 Real-Time
Surveillance

National Laboratory
System

Technical Areas of the Joint External Evaluation

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 Real-Time
Surveillance

National Laboratory
System

Specimen Collection
Astute Health Worker
Access to Care
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 Unprepared Health Systems Can
Undermine Public Health Response

Source:
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https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm63e1114a5.htm
Thank you!
Jennifer B. Nuzzo, DrPH, SM
jnuzzo1@jhu.edu
@jennifernuzzo

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