About Us

What We Do: Prevent. Detect. Respond.

Stopping outbreaks at the source. Protecting America’s future 24/7.

Ebola. Zika. Flu. Global health protection is about more than one country or one issue.

Many factors threaten our health, safety, and economy, including infectious diseases, bioterrorist threats, natural or man-made disasters, and the growing burden of noncommunicable diseases.

CDC’s Division of Global Health Protection (DGHP) works 24/7 to protect Americans from dangerous health threats around the world. Our scientists and “boots on the ground” frontline responders help contain outbreaks overseas so they don’t reach our shores.

We can’t predict exactly where or when the next epidemic will begin, or what it will be—but we know it could happen at any time. We have seen the emergence of deadly new pathogens that have spread like wildfire and the reemergence of diseases we thought were under control. In addition to naturally occurring disease, outbreaks can also begin through accidental release of a pathogen or as an intentional act of bioterrorism.

Every outbreak, large or small, comes with a price tag. Economies can be hit hard with the growing cost of controlling diseases, and the private sector often bears much of this burden, suffering from decreased travel and tourism, lost business continuity, increases in health care costs, and disrupted trade with international markets. An independent analysis of current global health systems, from the Commission on a Global Health Risk Framework for the Future estimates that the cost of a global pandemic would be $6 trillion (USD).²

We need protection in place before the next disaster strikes. Countries need strong everyday programs that can be scaled up to meet the demands of an emergency. Weak health systems anywhere leave openings for disease to take root and spread, turning local outbreaks into global epidemics.

How We Do It

DGHP works with its partners to protect the U.S. from deadly and costly public health crises, whether they begin in the U.S. or elsewhere. As the nation’s premier public health agency, CDC is leading our country and others to meet international standards for global health security. The knowledge and experience we share is already being used to stop outbreaks faster in other countries.

Every day, our staff and programs protect the health and safety of Americans and people around the world.

• We strive to increase the security of the world’s health through the Global Health Security Agenda, a worldwide effort to strengthen every country’s capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to health threats.
• We monitor new and emerging diseases 24/7 through our Global Disease Detection Operations Center in Atlanta and across the globe.
• We extend in-country surveillance and build a global workforce of disease detectives through our Field Epidemiology Training Program.
• We support countries during health emergencies through our Emergency Response and Recovery activities.
• We share resources with existing programs to reduce noncommunicable diseases caused by hypertension and tobacco use.
• We train staff to manage emergency operations centers so they can respond quickly to outbreaks.
• We gather and use relevant health information through surveys and data sharing initiatives.
• We create National Public Health Institutes around the world that serve as a home for public health expertise.

Where We Work

DGHP’s collaborations and programs span the globe. We work alongside key CDC programs; other U.S. government agencies; ministries of health; and international organizations to promote mutual strategies, research, and policies to ensure that countries around the world build core public health capacities and address gaps in emergency preparedness and response.