CSIS Commission on Strengthening America’s Health Security: Commission Co-Chair Statement on the 3rd Meeting of Commission Members
“Following the third meeting of the CSIS Commission on Strengthening America’s Health Security, Commission Co-Chairs Kelly Ayotte[, former Republican senator representing New Hampshire from 2011-2017,] and Julie Gerberding[, executive vice president and chief patient officer at Merck,] call for Congress and the administration to advance a U.S. doctrine of continuous prevention, protection, and resilience.” Ayotte and Gerberding continue, “On June 25, the Commission convened a dinner discussion focused on [the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)]. One stark conclusion emerged: we will not see a turnaround in the DRC until there is a much higher-level and more determined effort by the United States, other major powers, and African states to overcome disorder and violence in the DRC. We will see in other places in the future what we are currently witnessing in the DRC, and we simply must be better prepared. On June 26, Commission members … met to discuss a proposed U.S. doctrine for global health security. … The measures outlined in the paper are affordable, proven, and draw support from across the political spectrum. The time to act is now…” (8/8).