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The Georgia State University School of Public Health’s Board of Advisors recently gathered at The Task Force for Global Health to hear firsthand how the organization, which includes several of the school’s alumni and students, is working to eliminate diseases and protect populations in 140 countries.
“Everything we do at The Task Force—every one of our programs, any good we do around the world—we do through partnerships,” said President and CEO Dr. Patrick O’Carroll. “Our partnership with Dean Rodney Lyn and the School of Public Health is an important part of that, and we want there to be a growing set of connections over time.”
Chief Science and Programs Officer Dr. Nancy Knight provided an overview of The Task Force, which was founded more than 40 years ago by former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Bill Foege and his colleagues Carol Walters and Bill Watson.
The international nonprofit’s programs address diseases such polio, viral hepatitis and neglected tropical diseases while also helping governments strengthen their immunization programs, surveillance systems and public health workforce. Over 40 years, it has grown from a single effort to reach children with life‑saving vaccines into a global partner that helps countries eliminate diseases, expand vaccine access and strengthen health systems.
“All of our programs, no matter if they’re working on one specific disease or a broader systems issue, all contribute to helping achieve our overall vision of helping people live healthier lives, free from preventable suffering and death,” Knight said.
Board of Advisors Member Rosemarie Henson, Chief of Staff at the Child Health
Board of Advisors Member Rosemarie Henson, Chief of Staff at the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) program at The Task Force, described how the program uses data to reduce preventable child deaths.
and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) program at The Task Force, described how the program uses data to reduce preventable child deaths. Operating in nine sites in eight countries, CHAMPS has uncovered true causes of death that were previously unknown or underestimated in Africa and South Asia. The data are shared with local, regional and national leaders so they can update policies, strengthen health systems and target resources more effectively.
The Task Force for Global Health is one of more than 30 sites in Atlanta and beyond in which Georgia State Master of Public Health students connect the knowledge they have gained in the classroom to real-world public health challenges through an Applied Practice Experience.
“Our students and alumni at The Task Force for Global Health are transforming lives across the globe,” said Dean Rodney Lyn. “As our school seeks to expand its role in improving health for all, we are redoubling our efforts to create new and mutually beneficial partnerships.”