Locally-grown health security innovation network with a global reach, Texas Global Health Security Innovation Consortium (TEXGHS), alongside organizing partners IDEO, Global Health Security Network (GHSN), UNAIDS Health Innovation Exchange, and Austin Technology Incubator (ATI), announced Global Health Security (GHS) Innovation Week 2022, the world’s first conference focused on gathering health security and technology innovation communities to define and communicate today’s most pressing challenges in predicting, preventing, detecting, and responding to global health security threats for pandemic preparedness and recovery.
Attendees were invited to tune in from countries worldwide to engage in discussing solutions to global health security. From March 12 to 15, 2022, the free virtual event featured daily topics, workshops, and keynotes, including a presentation by Peter J. Hotez, M.D., Ph.D., American scientist, co-director of the Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Development, co-creator of the CORBEVAX vaccine, and 2022 Nobel Peace Prize nominee.
“GHS Innovation Week 2022 was a forum for the global health and technology innovation communities to work together to solve our most critical global health security challenges,” shared Lisa McDonald, MD, MSTC, founding partner of TEXGHS and director of healthcare at Austin Technology Incubator at the University of Texas at Austin. “Reflecting on the progression of COVID-19 over the past two years, GHSIW 2022 focused on recovery from the pandemic. This is an opportunity to emphasize the importance of health equity and accessibility in building resilient communities that can most effectively recover from COVID-19 and prevent future pandemics.”
The 2021 Global Health Security Index, released in December, ranked 195 countries according to their capacity to respond to epidemics and pandemics. According to the latest report, “all countries remain dangerously unprepared for meeting future epidemic and pandemic threats. A great opportunity exists, however, to make new capacities more durable to further long-term gains in preparedness.”
To this end, GHS Innovation Week was designed to address the issues faced by countries across the globe and will cover topics of pandemic readiness, vaccine development, access to healthcare, equity and distribution, as well as lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic applicable to the next global health crisis.
“GHSIW 2022 helped innovators build and share sustainable and scalable solutions that meet the needs of those on the front lines of fighting COVID-19 and preparing to meet future global health threats. We were thrilled to offer participation in this event to all through the support of our network and sponsors,” shared Dr. McDonald.
Global Health Security Innovation Week Program Highlights:
GHS Innovation Week 2022 featured an international exhibition of start-ups, entrepreneurs and country-specific programs leading COVID-19 response and recovery, while building new solutions to face future health security challenges. Programming offered leaders and innovators an opportunity to share ideas and products with an international audience of decision-makers, customers, and investors.
GHS Innovation Week sessions addressed the themes of preparation, response, cooperation, and recovery from health security threats across the following topics:
- Health Equity and Accessibility
- Mental Health and Community Resiliency
- Public Health Solutions and Emerging Infectious Diseases Public Policy and Communication
- One Health and Climate Change
- Vaccine Development and Distribution
- Emerging Innovation Ecosystems
- Biosafety and Biosecurity
- Diagnostics and Therapeutics
- Future Health Security Threats
- Investment in GHS Innovation
March 12: Keynote speaker Dennis Boyle, “Thinking like a Healthcare Designer” + IDEO Design for One Health Workshop: human-centered design workshop focused on communicating the impact of environmental health on human health
March 13: Keynote speaker Samantha Dittrich, MPH, “Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA): Past, Present, and Future”
March 14: UNAIDS Demo Day: Virtual pitch event + keynote speaker Pradeep Kakkatil, “UNAIDS Health Innovation Exchange (HIEx): Scaling Innovations to Build Resilient Health Systems”
March 14: Keynote speaker Peter J. Hotez, M.D., Ph.D., to speak on vaccines and recovery
Registration is free and open to the public. Media may RSVP to press@texghs.org. Limited sponsorship opportunities available, email events@texghs.org.
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