Global Disease Detection Program: Georgia and the South Caucasus

Global Disease Detection (GDD) programs have been operating in the South Caucasus region since 2009. In 2013, this collaboration was broadened through the establishment of a Global Disease Detection Regional Center in Tbilisi, in partnership with DTRA (the Defense Threat Reduction Agency).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been working closely with Georgia’s National Center for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC), and the Ministries of Health and Ministries of Agriculture in Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan to build public health workforce capacity and strengthen public health systems and institutions needed to effectively respond to health issues in the South Caucasus region. CDC provides ongoing technical assistance in outbreak investigation and development of laboratory and epidemiologic capacity in surveillance for a variety of health risk areas, including enteric diseases, botulism, and dangerous pathogens.

Responding to Health Threats

The scientific priorities for the Regional Center are addressing vaccine preventable diseases, supporting a Hepatitis C control program, combating zoonotic diseases, controlling tuberculosis, and surveillance of hospital acquired infections and enteric diseases.

Building Disease Detection and Response Capacity

Using the International Health Regulations (2005) as an organizing framework, the Center links the strengths of overseas CDC programs with country and regional partners – relying on local rather than remote resources.

The Center’s integrated approach helps reduce detection and response time by developing sustainable regional capacity in:

• Emerging infectious disease detection and response
• Field epidemiology and laboratory training
• Pandemic influenza preparedness and response
• Laboratory systems and biosafety
• Zoonotic disease research and control
• Health communications and information technology

Connecting Resources

In 2014, to strengthen enteric disease surveillance, CDC experts from Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases assisted NCDC management and project staff to improve bio-surveillance with a strong emphasis on improving laboratory capacity. In cooperation with Georgia’s Ministry of Health and Ministry of Agriculture, a laboratory training workshop was held.