Statement on the United States Government Global Health Security Strategy 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic had—and continues to have—a profound impact on our Nation and the world. More than one million Americans have lost their lives and nearly seven million Americans have been hospitalized, leaving families grieving and communities forever changed. We experienced the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression as weaknesses in our supply chains were exposed, small businesses struggled to stay afloat, and 20 million Americans lost their jobs. And we saw how this global health challenge caused local consequences for our hospitals, our schools, and our communities. No sector of the economy or society was immune.

That is why, since day one, I have been committed to ensuring that our Nation is prepared for a future pandemic and all biological threats, including strengthening and investing in global health security.

Over the last 3 years, we have more than doubled our global health partnerships, working directly with 50 countries to ensure they can more effectively prevent, detect, and control outbreaks. And we are working with partners to support an additional 50 countries to save even more lives and minimize economic losses. With strong bipartisan support from Congress, we also championed the creation of the Pandemic Fund, a new international body that has already catalyzed $2 billion in financing from 27 contributors, including countries, foundations, and philanthropies, to build stronger global health security capabilities. We are working to make life-saving medicines and vaccines more rapidly available in health emergencies, including through supporting Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. And we are leading efforts to ensure international financial institutions, such as the World Bank Group, scale up lending for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response because health security, economic security, climate security, and national security are all related.

This new Global Health Security Strategy lays out the actions the United States will take over the next 5 years to ensure we continue this progress and deliver on the goals established in my Administration's 2022 National Biodefense Strategy and Implementation Plan and the bipartisan Global Health Security and International Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response Act of 2022, enacted as part of the FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act. Through investments and cooperation with foreign partners, we will continue to build our capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to biological threats wherever they emerge. And we will rally greater support for these efforts from other countries, the private sector, and civil society to ensure long-term impact.

We stand at an inflection point in history, where the decisions we make now will determine the course of our future for decades to come. The new Global Health Security Strategy will ensure we remain vigilant to possible threats at this critical moment and help set a more secure, sustainable, and healthy course for our people and for people around the world.

JOE BIDEN