In case of major disease outbreaks, virus and bacteria often spread uncontrollably across regional and national borders, as a result of poor management and lack of cooperation. In order to stop them, joint planning and coordinated responses are crucial. That is where Search for Common Ground Jerusalem comes in.
In response to recommendations made by Middle Eastern health and medical professionals participating in our meeting on regional cooperation on disease surveillance, we created the Middle East Consortium on Infectious Disease Surveillance (MECIDS) in November 2002. Its vision is to promote long-term health, stability, and security in the region.
Supported by the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), MECIDS brings together partners from the following government ministries, universities, and non-governmental organizations:
- Jordanian Ministry of Health
- Israeli Ministry of Health
- Palestinian Ministry of Health
- Middle East Scientific Institute for Security
- Tel Aviv University
- Al Quds University
MECIDS builds capacity across and within nations to deal with disease outbreaks, whether naturally occurring or deliberately caused. In addition, it fosters confidence and mutual trust that help improve relations between individuals and countries, an essential prerequisite to contain a cross-border crisis. Our Jerusalem office manages MECIDS’ day-to-day operations.
The Consortium’s first project was to develop an enhanced food-borne disease surveillance system in Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian Territory. Participants use a specially designed website to share data routinely about the incidence of particular diseases, such as salmonella, and work together to develop joint communication strategies in case of an outbreak.
In 2015, MECIDS worked on joint planning for biosafety, focusing on the creation of a Common Action Plan between Jordan, Israel and Palestine. This plan will suggest strategiesto contain the spread of infectious diseases in the event of a natural or deliberate outbreak in the region. To this end, a four-day simulation will be run to test the plan and enhance practical knowledge of its potential. We are also running trainings and workshops to increase the effectiveness of biosafety laboratories and foster the sharing of technical expertise in these countries.
