The Task Force for Global Health

09/03/2026

Disease surveillance saves lives. World Field Epidemiology Day is September 7th, and we celebrate the FETP-trained experts building, monitoring, and evaluating the early warning systems that keep disease outbreaks at bay. Many thanks to Dr. Reddy and the entire TEPHINET network for your essential work!

World Field Epidemiology Day is September 7! TEPHINET's Director, Dr. Reddy, says, "Invisibility is our strategy; protection is our proof. FETPs protect our communities from disease outbreaks by setting up, monitoring, and evaluating public health surveillance systems. Routine surveillance can detect early signs of an outbreak. This work happens out of public view and behind the scenes, carried out by dedicated FETP-trained professionals.

08/27/2026

Flu season is right around the corner.

Seasonal influenza vaccination is one of the most important tools for protecting people from the flu, and strong vaccination programs do even more. The systems countries use to plan, deliver and monitor flu vaccines also strengthen their ability to respond when new health threats emerge.

Through the Partnership for International Vaccine Initiatives (PIVI), a The Task Force for Global Health program, countries are working year-round to:
- Expand access to seasonal influenza vaccination
- Strengthen vaccine delivery systems and healthcare worker protection
- Build sustainable national immunization programs
- Improve readiness for epidemics and pandemics

Preparing for flu season is about more than one season. It’s an investment in stronger health systems and healthier communities, year after year.

08/25/2026

In our latest spotlight, we’re highlighting a leader at the forefront of global health security: Dr. Carl Reddy, Director of TEPHINET at The Task Force for Global Health.

Dr. Reddy brings a wealth of international clinical and epidemiological expertise to The Task Force. With a career spanning the globe, he has dedicated his work to the belief that robust field epidemiology is the foundation of any resilient public healthcare system.

As Director, Dr. Reddy serves as the global convener for the 90 member network of field epidemiology training programs serving more than 150 countries and territories worldwide. His work is centered on the principle that local field epidemiology expertise is the most effective tool for identifying and responding to public health threats. By strengthening these programs, he and his team ensure that countries have the professional workforce necessary to protect community health in real-time.

08/24/2026

▶️ WHAT: Advancing Goals for Hepatitis B & C Elimination Through Integrated Testing Strategies: Evidence, Ongoing Research, and Opportunities for Scale-Up

▶️WHEN: Thursday, August 27 at 10 am EDT

▶️DETAILS: Global health experts, program implementers, and policymakers will synthesize findings from two key reports from the Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination:
- Advancing Goals for Hepatitis B and C Elimination through Integrated Testing Strategies, Workshop Report from the World Hepatitis Summit Pre-Meeting
- The Path to Zero: Eliminating HIV Transmission | Integration and Innovation across Seven Countries with Concentrated HIV Epidemics

Panelists will share practical operational lessons across antenatal care (ANC), primary healthcare facilities, HIV/ART clinics, emergency departments (EDs), and community platforms. The discussion will also evaluate real-world diagnostic and workflow innovations—such as triplex rapid diagnostic tests (HIV/HBV/syphilis), automatic reflex viral load testing, simplified same-day prophylaxis, and community self-testing models—while outlining strategies to leverage existing health infrastructure, navigate global health financing shifts, and embed multi-disease screening into Universal Health Coverage (UHC) frameworks.

▶️Register: https://events.zoom.us/ev/Ai4sRgTwRPI2pV0uqtqJGsbuZXwdIvnpysuhTfIlcZcodttwiRIG~Aghae_ZmloZZlZZ0XgL3mgtvDtAMzrIoa1DG_x5ZdQqbWPxET8GwADLfcg

08/20/2026

How do you protect 242 million people from rapid disease outbreaks? By replacing fragmented health data systems with unified, real-time surveillance.

Featured in our latest annual report, Nigeria is transforming its outbreak response with the support of SONAR (Strengthening Outbreak Notification and Response), an initiative of The Global Fund implemented by the Task Force program - bringing together our expert epidemiologists and health informatics specialists In partnership with The Global Fund, Africa CDC, World Health Organization (WHO), and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, SONAR optimized digital tools and trained community teams to ensure early outbreak signals could become actionable, life-saving public health decisions.

This landmark effort enabled Nigeria to independently manage and share quality data through its Central Data Repository, serving as a model for 13 other nations across Africa and Asia. This work is helping to build stronger public health security around the world.

Read the full story in our annual report: https://www.taskforce.org/2025-annual-report/data-for-action/

08/19/2026

Check out this upcoming webinar TOMORROW Thursday, August 20 at 9 am EDT!


🏥Improving the Hepatitis B Care Cascade: Utilizing Technology, Mobile Apps, and Patient Navigation


Despite the availability of effective tools for prevention and treatment, significant gaps remain in hepatitis B screening, linkage to care, and retention in care, particularly among populations disproportionately impacted by hepatitis B. Join this webinar to learn how healthcare systems, public health programs, and clinical teams are using innovative approaches to close these gaps and improve patient outcomes. Through real-world case studies and expert insights, participants will explore how electronic health records (EHR), mobile health applications, clinical support tools, and patient navigation programs can be leveraged to increase screening rates, strengthen follow-up, and enhance accountability.


Register here: https://events.zoom.us/ev/AjYeTDTN94d6f5xDkaEERihF_n46c1fhZBNTKE4lF3hVMOT-V-fR~AowizViQhQP69mCAqKLk6Do7ymBEOD_8e5sJMM3nXZPsIaPDNRj1ZR8iUQ

08/18/2026

How do you deliver better care across millions of families? By replacing isolated health campaigns with one coordinated effort.

Featured in our latest annual report, Ethiopia transformed its approach to public health by integrating its national campaign strategy through the Ethiopian Collaborative Action Strategy (E-CAS). The E-CAS was adapted from the Health Campaign Effectiveness Coalition’s Collaborative Action Strategy, developed by The Task Force for Global Health with collaboration from over 50 partners.

In May 2025, the country launched a groundbreaking integrated campaign that mobilized 20,000 health workers to provide measles immunizations, nutrition support, and maternal care simultaneously. Ethiopia’s pioneer strategy proves that integrating healthcare services saves resources while extending vital care to underserved communities.

Learn more about this milestone in our annual report: https://www.taskforce.org/2025-annual-report/one-campaign-18-million-children-protected/.

Photo Credit: Ethiopia Federal Ministry of Health

08/17/2026

Monsters under the crib? Manageable. Hib? That’s the scarier addition to the guest list. The Hib vaccine helps protect little ones from serious Hib disease. Ask your pediatric provider if your child is on schedule.

08/14/2026

The Task Force for Global Health reflects on the life and legacy of Dr. Jim Laney, former president of Emory University and board member emeritus of The Task Force, who died yesterday at age 98. Dr. Laney played a pivotal role in establishing The Task Force as an Emory affiliate. Working alongside Task Force founder Dr. Bill Foege, he helped forge a partnership that began at our founding in 1984 and has flourished for more than four decades.

Dr. Laney’s vision, leadership, and commitment to global health created a lasting connection between our two institutions. They remain united by a shared belief in the power of collaboration to improve lives around the world. We are deeply grateful for Dr. Laney’s contributions and for the enduring legacy he leaves in global health.

Photo credit: Task Force's 30th Anniversary Video

08/11/2026

In a recent blog from our Voices for Vaccines program, Chloe Hong, a cancer survivor, shares how vaccines and herd immunity continue to play a critical role in safeguarding her health. Read more about how getting vaccinated helps protect the health of our entire community: https://bit.ly/4pOJC5R