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Schnell Einsetzbare Expertengruppe Gesundheit (SEEG) -
The German Epidemic Preparedness Team

Epidemic and pandemic prevention, preparedness and response are complex and challenging tasks in any setting, particularly where the capacity to diagnose, monitor and control disease transmission is limited.

COVID-19 and the recent global surge in further epidemics and antimicrobial resistance showcase the urgent need for strengthening health systems to diagnose and manage infectious diseases.

The German Epidemic Preparedness Team (SEEG) provides technical support to partner countries in building capacity and sharing expertise for prevention, preparedness, and response of disease outbreaks, guided by the One Health Approach. SEEG aims to works in a needs- in a partner-oriented, collaborative, and multidisciplinary way.

The SEEG actively promotes equality and supports addressing gender-specific disadvantages and discrimination in all its work areas.

Creating added value, through partnership, for One Health

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Who we are

The SEEG is an instrument of the German Government founded in 2015 by the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development and the Ministry of Health that supports countries and organizations in preparing for and responding to eminent disease outbreaks.

The SEEG approach is based on needs in a partner oriented, collaborative, and multidisciplinary way, but initially activities were largely focusing on the human sector. Within the last three years, the SEEG has piloted and pioneered the integration of the ‘One Health’ approach into its framework. This was largely achieved by the integration of new partners from the animal health sector, namely the Friedrich Loeffler Institut, the German Federal Research Institute for Animal Health with support of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture as well as Nature Conservation Organizations from the environmental sector collaborating closely with established SEEG partners such as the Robert Koch Institute, the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine and Charité University Hospital Berlin as well as the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ). The SEEG is dedicated to enhancing laboratory diagnostics, supporting health emergency processes and structures, and promoting cross-sectoral pandemic prevention and response through the One Health approach.

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Background

Founded in 2015 as a reaction to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa

Instruments
  • Flexible deployment of experts
  • Consulting
  • On-site and online training of technical experts
  • Provision of material for training purposes
Goal

Supporting partner countries and partner organizations in preparing for and responding to disease outbreaks worldwide and at short notice

Intersectoral Approach

Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) – commissioning party

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Federal Ministry of Health (BMG)

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Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) (since 2021)

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Core Expertise
  • Outbreak response: flexible response to outbreaks in a qualified way based on country requests
  • Strengthening laboratory diagnostics and laboratory networks
  • Supporting the development of standard operating procedures and structures for health emergencies
  • Cross-sectoral pandemic prevention and response through a One Health Approach

SEEG at GIZ

The SEEG is integrated into the Global Programme for Pandemic Prevention and Response, One Health (GV PPOH).

Alongside two complementary components, one of them focusing on strengthening regional capacities for One Health and Pandemic Response, whereas the second one is strengthening key institutions and organizations to support the implementation of the One Health Approach and the international health regulations in selected partner countries

Events

Links

What we do

Supporting Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Response

Since 2015, SEEG has conducted over 60 deployments in more than 30 countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Central and South America. The overall aim is to optimize human, animal, and environmental health, aligning interventions with the principles of the One Health Approach regarding pandemic preparedness and response. To achieve this, SEEG provides both advisory and technical support for acute response and preparedness activities. To provide tailored and sustainable solutions to unique contexts, the multidisciplinary deployed teams work closely together with local partners and key stakeholders to assess needs and identify gaps.

SEEG deployments focus on a wide range of infectious diseases including SARS-CoV2, Lassa fever, Ebola, Dengue, Zika virus, Rift Valley fever, Avian influenza, Cholera, and other neglected tropical diseases, as well as overarching topics such as rapid response teams.

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SEEG deployments since 2015

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Covid-19

Lassa Fever / Dengue Fever

SimEx

Cholera

Ebola

Rabies (Tollwut)

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

AMR - Antimicrobial Resistance

Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers

Rift Valley Fever

Zika Fever

Multiple uses for different pathogens

SEEG monitors the long-term impact of deployments to ensure effectiveness and sustainability, and explore potential future collaborations based on deployment outcomes. Championing equality and actively supporting the elimination of gender-specific disadvantages and discrimination across health, education, and development sectors is a key value of SEEG.

For more updates on SEEG deployments, you can follow us on X at @onehealth_insights

SEEG’s focus areas include:

Laboratory Capacity Building

Strengthening laboratory diagnostics through training and infrastructure support.

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Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)/ Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS)

Addressing AMR priorities and promoting responsible antimicrobial use.

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Intersectoral Collaboration (ISC)

Fostering communication and coordination across sectors and disciplines involved in pandemic and epidemic response.

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Outbreak Response

Providing rapid advice and technical support during acute outbreaks, with a focus on emergency response activities and capacity building.

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SEEG Corporation Partners

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German Development Cooperation Agency

Provides the core team; responsible for logistical, organizational and political matters; provides broad technical support for deployments with strong expertise in capacity development and international cooperation

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Institute for Tropical Medicine

Provides support in the area of laboratory strengthening and bioinformatical analysis;

Strong expertise in capacity building, epidemiology, surveillance

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National Public Health Institute of the Federal Republic of Germany

Provides support in the area of surveillance; crisis management for public health events, outbreak response, surveillance

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Federal Research Institute for Animal Health

Provides support in the area of animal health; supports the strengthening of the One Health Approach

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University Hospital Berlin

Provides support in the are of virology laboratory diagnostics, AMR and infectiology

Stories

The Gambia: 2023

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Strengthening The Gambia´s resilience and response to Avian Influenza
https://health.bmz.de/stories/strengthening-the-gambias-resilience-and-response-to-avian-influenza/

Uzbekistan: 2021

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A perfect synergy: Germany and WHO join forces to take laboratory diagnostics in Kyrgyzstan to the next level
https://health.bmz.de/stories/a-perfect-synergy-germany-and-who-join-forces-to-take-laboratory-diagnostics-in-kyrgyzstan-to-the-next-level/

Various countries: 2020

Ecuador: 2020

A new bio-security lab is boosting Ecuador’s pandemic preparedness
https://health.bmz.de/stories/a-new-bio-security-lab-is-boosting-ecuadors-pandemic-preparedness/

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