Dodging a Bullet: WHO, SARS, and the Successful Management of Infectious Disease

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to analyze the policy decisions made by the World Health Organization (WHO) in working to fight the spread of the first truly global infectious disease, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), of the 21st century. In particular, the author pays attention to the WHO’s Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) and analyzes how it was employed in coordinating a variety of response efforts around the world. In addition, he identifies and assesses the successes and failures of the GOARN’s policies with regard to the monitoring and containment of the SARS outbreak.