Newly Updated: Global Health Security Index in the City Cube

SSON Analytics location comparison tool, the City Cube, has been updated to reflect the latest 2021 Global Health Security (GHS) Index

This Index measures the capacities of 195 countries to prepare for epidemics and pandemics based on six categories:

  1. Prevention
  2. Detection and Reporting
  3. Rapid Respond
  4. Health System
  5. Compliance with International Norms
  6. Risk Environment

One of the key findings from this latest report is that despite significant steps taken to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, all countries remain dangerously unprepared to meet future epidemic and pandemic threats. However, countries are now more aware of how the lack of preparedness can impact their health and prosperity.

Overall Score – Top 10 Countries (2019 vs 2021)

Rank

2019

2021

1

United States of America

76.2

United States of America

75.9

2

Australia

73.2

Australia

71.1

3

Finland

72

Finland

70.9

4

Thailand

68.9

Canada

69.8

5

Slovenia

68.6

Thailand

68.2

6

United Kingdom

68.3

Slovenia

67.8

7

Netherlands

67.7

United Kingdom

67.2

8

Canada

67.6

Germany

65.5

9

Denmark

67.3

South Korea

65.4

10

Sweden

66.4

Sweden

64.9

The United States, Australia and Finland have kept their positions as the top 3 countries based on the overall score, but none of them has achieved the top tier (80 and above). Germany and South Korea have climbed up the ranks to 8th and 9th. They were previously at 12th and 11th respectively.

 

Top 3 Countries for each Category in 2021

1. Prevention of the emergence or release of pathogens (Global Average: 28.4)

Rank

Country

2021 Score

Change

1

United States of America

79.4

+0.8

2

Armenia

79.3

+4.3

3

Sweden

77.3

-3.3

       

2. Early detection and reporting epidemics of potential international concern (Global Average: 32.3)

Rank

Country

2021 Score

Change

1

Thailand

91.5

+8.3

2

Australia

82.2

+2.6

3

United States of America

80.1

+4.8

       

3. Rapid response to & mitigation of the spread of an epidemic (Global Average: 37.6)

Rank

Country

2021 Score

Change

1

Finland

70.7

-10.8

2

Thailand

67.3

-11.3

3

United States of America

65.7

-7.1

       

4. Sufficient & robust health system to treat the sick & protect health workers (Global Average: 31.5)

Rank

Country

2021 Score

Change

1

United States of America

75.2

0.0

2

Slovenia

72.8

+7.1

3

Peru

71.7

+6.0

       

5. Commitments to improving national capacity, financing plans to address gaps, and adherence to global norms (Global Average: 47.8)

Rank

Country

2021 Score

Change

1

United States of America

81.9

0.0

2

Canada

79.2

+4.2

=3

Finland

77.8

0.0

=3

New Zealand

77.8

18.1

       

6. Overall risk environment and country vulnerability to biological threats (Global Average 55.8)

Rank

Country

2021 Score

Change

1

Norway

89.0

+0.8

2

Austria

87.2

+0.7

3

Luxembourg

86.5

+2.1

 

Although the GHS Index can help identify the preparedness of resources and capacities available in a country, it cannot predict whether or how well a country will use them in a crisis.

To access the full GHS 2021 Index data, visit the City Cube here. The City Cube allows you to compare 3,800+ shared services locations around the world across 18 variables such as cost of labor, talent availability, number of shared services centers, average salaries, and much more.

Source: Global Health Security Index 2021

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