At a glance
At the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we know that it can take just one person on one plane to turn a local outbreak into a global pandemic. In a year marked by multiple deadly infectious disease threats, CDC's global health investments have proven more valuable than ever.
Introduction
CDC is often the first call when outbreaks strike globally, thanks to the trusted relationships CDC has built over time with governments, Ministries of Health, and other partners. In 2024, CDC responded to:
- New and expanding health threats, like clade I mpox – including a case in the U.S.
- High-risk pathogens, like Marburg, emerging in new areas of the world
- Resurgences of vaccine-preventable diseases, like measles and polio
The stories in this report highlight work done in 2024 through the lens of CDC's Global Health Strategic Framework, which outlines CDC's six core global public health capabilities:
These stories illustrate how CDC's global work is building a safer world. For example, in 2024 we witnessed the first country-wide adoptions of malaria vaccines – a global milestone years in the making. And, exactly ten years after the devastating West Africa Ebola outbreak, a whole region has been transformed with stronger, more responsive public health systems. Also in these pages are stories of new innovations, including mosquitoes that cannot transmit dengue to people, how a single idea is empowering a whole generation of teens against HIV, and other CDC efforts that effectively contain the spread of disease.
Together, all of this work moves us closer to achieving the four goals set forth in the strategic framework, to:
CDC works hand-in-hand with countries and partners through global initiatives and programs like the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the President's Malaria Initiative (PMI), global health security, influenza, antimicrobial resistance, and immunization.
CDC’s global engagements bring the agency’s technical expertise to our counterpart agencies around the world. These partnerships build countries’ core capabilities, enabling country governments to pivot swiftly toward identifying, reporting, and controlling outbreaks when every minute counts.
CDC protects the U.S. by strengthening global preparedness for the next health emergency. We work to investigate emerging infectious diseases, reduce morbidity and mortality, and eliminate some of the world's deadliest threats. We forge stronger diplomatic relationships, work to prevent economic losses, and drive future innovations that increase health security for the U.S. and across the world.
Report links
