Sec. 6909. Fund authorities

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In carrying out the purpose set forth in section 6908, the Fund, acting through the Executive Board, should provide grants, including challenge grants, technical assistance, concessional lending, catalytic investment funds, and other innovative funding mechanisms, as appropriate, to— help eligible partner countries close critical gaps in health security, as identified through the Joint External Evaluation process, the Global Health Security Index classification of health systems, and national action plans for health security and other complementary or successor indicators of global health security and pandemic preparedness; and support measures that enable such countries, at both national and sub-national levels, and in partnership with civil society and the private sector, to strengthen and sustain resilient health systems and supply chains with the resources, capacity, and personnel required to prevent, detect, mitigate, and respond to infectious disease threats before they become pandemics.

The activities to be supported by the Fund should include efforts to— enable eligible partner countries to formulate and implement national health security and pandemic preparedness action plans, advance action packages under the Global Health Security Agenda, and adopt and uphold commitments under the International Health Regulations

(2005)and other related international health agreements, as appropriate; support global health security budget planning in eligible partner countries, including training in financial management and budget and global health data transparency; strengthen the health security workforce, including hiring, training, and deploying experts to improve frontline preparedness for emerging epidemic and pandemic threats; improve infection control and the protection of healthcare workers within healthcare settings; combat the threat of antimicrobial resistance; strengthen laboratory capacity and promote biosafety and biosecurity through the provision of material and technical assistance; reduce the risk of bioterrorism, zoonotic disease spillover, and accidental biological release; build technical capacity to manage global health security related supply chains, including for personal protective equipment, oxygen, testing reagents, and other lifesaving supplies, through effective forecasting, procurement, warehousing, and delivery from central warehouses to points of service in both the public and private sectors; enable bilateral, regional, and international partnerships and cooperation, including through pandemic early warning systems and emergency operations centers, to identify and address transnational infectious disease threats exacerbated by natural and man-made disasters, human displacement, and zoonotic infection; establish partnerships for the sharing of best practices and enabling eligible countries to meet targets and indicators under the Joint External Evaluation process, the Global Health Security Index classification of health systems, and national action plans for health security relating to the detection, treatment, and prevention of neglected tropical diseases; build the technical capacity of eligible partner countries to prepare for and respond to second order development impacts of infectious disease outbreaks, while accounting for the differentiated needs and vulnerabilities of marginalized populations; develop and utilize metrics to monitor and evaluate programmatic performance and identify best practices, including in accordance with Joint External Evaluation benchmarks, Global Health Security Agenda targets, and Global Health Security Index indicators; develop and deploy mechanisms to enhance the transparency and accountability of global health security and pandemic preparedness programs and data, in compliance with the International Health Regulations (2005), including through the sharing of trends, risks, and lessons learned; and develop and implement simulation exercises, produce and release after action reports, and address related gaps. In carrying out the objectives of paragraph (1), the Fund should work to eliminate duplication and waste by upholding strict transparency and accountability standards and coordinating its programs and activities with key partners working to advance global health security and pandemic preparedness, including— governments, civil society, faith-based, and nongovernmental organizations, research and academic institutions, and private sector entities in eligible partner countries; the pandemic early warning systems and emergency operations centers to be established under section 6909; the World Health Organization; the Global Health Security Agenda; the Global Health Security Initiative; the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria; the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, UNICEF, and other relevant funds, programs, and specialized agencies of the United Nations; Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI); the Global Polio Eradication Initiative; and the United States Coordinator for Global Health Security and Diplomacy established under section 5. In providing assistance under this section, the Fund should give priority to low-and lower-middle income countries with— low scores on the Global Health Security Index classification of health systems; measurable gaps in global health security and pandemic preparedness identified under Joint External Evaluations and national action plans for health security; demonstrated political and financial commitment to pandemic preparedness; and demonstrated commitment to upholding global health budget and data transparency and accountability standards, complying with the International Health Regulations (2005), investing in domestic health systems, and achieving measurable results. Governments and nongovernmental organizations should be eligible to receive grants as described in this section.