NCM 2023 Houston: Building and applying global pathogen surveillance in a post/peri-pandemic world

APHL Global Health leverages next-generation sequencing (NGS), bioinformatics, and genomic epidemiology to enhance public health decision-making in 78 countries. NGS emerged as a crucial component of the COVID-19 pandemic response, with internal and external investments catalyzing advancements in global pathogen genomic capabilities. We emphasize establishing regional capacities in a post/peri-pandemic setting, enabling real-time technical support. A fundamental principle is prioritizing a south-to-south global approach, fostering collaboration among nations with similar challenges. Crucially, we aim to assess the costs of pathogen genomics initiatives, ensuring their long-term sustainability. Exploring diverse use cases demonstrates the broad impact of pathogen genomics on public health outcomes, attracting funding from various entities. While the COVID-19 pandemic brought enduring challenges, it accelerated global pathogen genomics by a decade. APHL seeks to harness this momentum by showcasing the transformative potential of NGS technology, bioinformatics, genomic epidemiology, and data visualization, fostering better health outcomes at individual and population levels