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Table 1 Examples of securitization of global public health surveillance: typology

From: Coincident polio and Ebola crises expose similar fault lines in the current global health regime

Governance level

Securitizing agent

Initiatives or projects

Examplesa

Private

Private philanthropy

Sponsoring the establishment of global surveillance networks

1. Nuclear Threat Initiative

National

USA (Security agencies, academia)

Development of event-based surveillance technology

2. Project Argus

USA (Senate)

Capacity building, conditional aid to developing countries

3. US Global Pathogen Surveillance Act (2007)

International

USA (President)

Political and technical alliance

4. Global Health Security Agenda

Some industrialised countries

Political alliance

5. Global Health Security Initiative

Regional surveillance networks

Coordination of regional surveillance networks

6. CORDS

Supra-national

WHO

Technical resources for event verification

7. Biological Weapons Convention

WHO/UNODA

Technical support to the UN Secretary-General

8. Memorandum of understanding

  1. aNumbered examples and additional references are summarised in Additional File 1