Conducting Public Health Research in Georgia

The US Government (USG) envisions a world safe and secure from global health threats posed by emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. The U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working to help National Public Health Institutes around the world to meet key International Health Regulations (IHR) requirements. The CDC South Caucasus Office (SCO) was established in 2009 and located in Georgia to train epidemiologists and laboratorians from the region, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine, in both the human and animal sectors as part of the Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (FELTP). CDC SCO, supported by the Division of Global Health Protection (DGHP), addresses several key global health security priority areas by working in close partnership with the Georgia Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health, and Social Affairs (MoLHSA), National Center for Disease Control and Public Health of Georgia (NCDC), and Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia (MEPA). Georgia, together with neighboring countries, Armenia and Azerbaijan, makes up the South Caucasus (SC) region. Despite the challenges of rebuilding after the fall of the Soviet Union and an ongoing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Georgia has persevered and has become a model country for public health and global health security. Georgia and the South Caucasus Region is home to roughly18 million people at risk for emerging infectious diseases, including Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever, Anthrax, Brucellosis, and a recently discovered orthopox virus. Due to their livelihood in agriculture or animal husbandry, the local inhabitants are at higher risk of being exposed to the emerging infectious diseases including zoonotic diseases. Additionally there is a high prevalence of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB), hepatitis C, respiratory disease and other infectious disease threats. US CDC's work in the South Caucasus and the broader region in collaboration with the L. Sakvarelidze National Centers for Disease Control and Public Health (NCDC) demonstrates the true power of regional and international cooperation, commitment to science, and shared motivation to help others. These have always been core principles for the South Caucasus CDC regional office (CDC-SCO) in Georgia and consequently, in 2019, Georgia was selected as a Regional Hub for the Eastern Europe and Central Asia Region. This NOFO is a follow-on to RFA-GH-15-002. It will provide a positive health impact through epidemiologic operational research as well as develop laboratory capacity for emerging infectious. Through earlier detection, more timely prevention and treatment measures can be offered, ultimately leading to lower morbidity and mortality. In the framework of this regional strategy, CDC will achieve its mission to implement a sustainable approach to Global Health Security (GHS) by strengthening NCDC's ability to prevent, detect and respond rapidly to disease outbreaks.