Health Security

Abstract

Health security as a formal endeavor has a historical basis but continues to evolve as a concept and in practice. Recent events in the twenty-first century challenge those concepts and inform health security efforts. The ongoing challenges require us to continually reevaluate our understanding of health security in the context of current times as well as in an uncertain and increasingly complex future. Historically, health security has been the domain of formal public health systems, locally, nationally, and globally. Recently, health security has seen stronger ties to human security particularly at the national level. Balancing the expectations of national security with the human rights perspective on which health security arose will be among the challenges requiring thoughtful consideration and dialogue. The multi-sector collaboration and the corresponding leadership required represent both an additional challenge and an opportunity. The remainder of the twenty-first century promises the emergence of more complex, challenging, natural, and intentional health threats. Appreciating the importance of collaboration to both assure the health security of populations before an event and not only restore it when it has been threatened or lost perhaps represents our greatest opportunity to advance the human condition.