Dr. Bhakti Hansoti, the Director for the Centre of Global Emergency Care at Johns Hopkins University, has underscored the critical role of preparedness and investment in health systems in enhancing both local and global health security. Delivering a lecture on “The Global Health Security: Implications for LMICs” at the Kumasi Center for Collaborative Research in Tropical Medicine, Dr. Hansoti highlighted that COVID-19 revealed the inseparable link between global health emergencies and resilient health systems.

She emphasized the need to build resilient health systems that consider the determinants of health, stating that such systems would provide strength against future threats. Global health security, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, involves possessing strong and resilient public health systems capable of preventing, detecting, and responding to infectious disease threats on a global scale.

Dr. Hansoti’s lecture covered the importance of intersectoral collaboration, communication, and investment in shaping responses to future global health challenges. Stressing the lessons learned from past health crises such as Ebola, COVID-19, and HIV, she called for active participation from countries to enhance the global health security architecture. Dr. John Amuasi, Head of the Global Health Department at the School of Public Health, emphasized the significance of understanding global health architecture, especially for students.

The lecture provided valuable insights into the role of health systems, capacity-building, and emergency care in strengthening the ecosystem for global health security. Students expressed gratitude for the enlightening lecture, with Dr. Joseph Bonney, president of the African Federation for Emergency Medicine, highlighting the impact of building capacity in hospitals on enhancing global health security.