Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA GH 18 002
The grant opportunity, titled "Strengthening detection of emerging infectious diseases in India" (RFA GH 18 002), is a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cooperative agreement designed to expand and deepen work previously started under the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) in India. The overall intent is to improve how quickly and accurately emerging and high-impact infectious diseases are detected, understood, and acted on, with an emphasis on strengthening surveillance, diagnostics, and the links between routine public health systems and emergency response structures.
A major focus of the project is acute febrile illness (AFI), which is a common reason people are hospitalized and can be caused by many different pathogens that often look similar at first. The funding supports efforts in selected high-burden areas to identify the specific causes (etiologies) of AFI among hospitalized patients, while also examining associated risk factors and clinical outcomes. In practical terms, this means building stronger clinical and laboratory approaches that can distinguish between different infectious causes of fever, helping clinicians and public health agencies target prevention and response measures more effectively.
Another core component is generating evidence on how people seek care and use health services across selected epidemiological zones in India. By mapping health-seeking behavior and utilization patterns, the project aims to correct for undercounting that happens when surveillance data only reflect those who reach certain facilities. These data are then used to estimate the true burden of disease for key infectious causes, improving the accuracy of public health planning and allowing decision-makers to prioritize interventions based on better population-level evidence rather than incomplete facility-based snapshots.
The opportunity also emphasizes evaluating whether expanded and more advanced diagnostic testing should be implemented at district and sub-district levels, not just in centralized reference laboratories. This includes assessing both the public health impact (for example, earlier detection of outbreaks, improved case confirmation, better targeting of treatment or control measures) and the cost-effectiveness of scaling such testing. The intent is to produce actionable findings that can guide investment decisions, showing where advanced diagnostics provide clear value and where simpler approaches may be more appropriate.
In addition to generating data, the NOFO aims to strengthen the underlying systems that turn surveillance signals into coordinated action. A specific deliverable area is building models for stronger linkages to national and state emergency response mechanisms, alongside broader improvements to laboratory surveillance. This reflects an interest not only in detecting pathogens but also in ensuring that detection triggers timely communication, escalation, and response across different levels of the public health system.
Finally, the grant explicitly incorporates a One Health approach, recognizing that human health is intertwined with animal health and environmental conditions. Under this pillar, the project supports activities that strengthen cross-sector collaboration and help model disease patterns across India, which is especially relevant for emerging infections that may involve zoonotic spillover or ecological drivers. The goal is to improve the ability to anticipate and interpret disease trends by considering how pathogens move between people, animals, and environments, rather than treating human cases in isolation.
Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement mechanism, meaning the CDC would likely have substantial involvement in the project’s direction and implementation compared to a more hands-off grant. The funding opportunity was created on January 19, 2018, with an original closing date of March 20, 2018, and required electronic submission by 5:00 p.m. ET on the due date. The award ceiling listed is $3,000,000, with an expectation of a single award. The activity category is health (CFDA 93.326), and eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with details intended to be clarified in the full eligibility section of the announcement.Apply for RFA GH 18 002
- The Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Strengthening detection of emerging infectious diseases in India" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.326.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 19, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 20, 2018 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 500 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title and reference number of this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Strengthening detection of emerging infectious diseases in India" and is identified as RFA GH 18 002.
Who is offering this grant opportunity?
This is a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funding opportunity.
What type of award mechanism is being used?
The award is a cooperative agreement. This generally means CDC is expected to have substantial involvement in the project direction and implementation, compared with a more hands-off grant mechanism.
Is this a discretionary or mandatory funding opportunity?
This is described as a discretionary funding opportunity.
What is the overall purpose of the cooperative agreement?
The overall intent is to improve how quickly and accurately emerging and high-impact infectious diseases are detected, understood, and acted on in India. The emphasis is on strengthening surveillance, diagnostics, and the linkages between routine public health systems and emergency response structures.
How does this opportunity relate to the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA)?
The work is designed to expand and deepen activities previously started under the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) in India.
What diseases or syndromes are a major focus of the project?
A major focus is acute febrile illness (AFI), a common reason for hospitalization that can be caused by many pathogens that often look similar early in illness.
What does the project aim to do related to acute febrile illness (AFI)?
In selected high-burden areas, the project supports identifying the specific causes (etiologies) of AFI among hospitalized patients, and examining associated risk factors and clinical outcomes. The practical goal is to strengthen clinical and laboratory approaches that can distinguish among infectious causes of fever.
Why is identifying the etiology of AFI important in this program?
Because many AFI causes present similarly at first, stronger diagnostic and clinical approaches can help clinicians and public health agencies better target prevention and response measures based on the actual pathogen(s) responsible.
What kinds of settings are emphasized for AFI work?
The description highlights work in selected high-burden areas and focuses on hospitalized patients with AFI.
Does the opportunity include activities beyond clinical and lab testing?
Yes. A core component is generating evidence on health-seeking behavior and health service utilization across selected epidemiological zones in India, and using these data to improve disease burden estimates.
What is meant by "health-seeking behavior" and "utilization patterns" in this context?
It refers to understanding how and where people seek care and use health services. The goal is to map patterns across selected epidemiological zones so surveillance interpretation is not limited to only those who reach certain facilities.
Why does the program care about health-seeking behavior data?
Surveillance systems can undercount disease when they only capture cases seen at certain facilities. Health-seeking behavior data are intended to help correct for undercounting and improve estimates of the true burden of disease.
How will the opportunity improve population-level disease burden estimates?
By combining surveillance findings with evidence about care-seeking and service utilization, the project aims to estimate the true burden for key infectious causes rather than relying on incomplete facility-based snapshots.
What does the opportunity say about expanding diagnostic testing beyond reference labs?
The NOFO emphasizes evaluating whether expanded and more advanced diagnostic testing should be implemented at district and sub-district levels, not only in centralized reference laboratories.
What factors are included in evaluating expanded diagnostic testing?
The evaluation is intended to include both public health impact (such as earlier outbreak detection, improved case confirmation, and better targeting of treatment or control measures) and cost-effectiveness when considering scaling advanced diagnostics.
What kinds of "actionable findings" are expected from the diagnostics work?
The intent is to produce findings that guide investment decisions by showing where advanced diagnostics provide clear value and where simpler approaches may be more appropriate.
How does this opportunity address the link between surveillance and response?
It emphasizes strengthening the systems that translate surveillance signals into coordinated action. A specific deliverable area is building models for stronger linkages to national and state emergency response mechanisms, along with broader improvements to laboratory surveillance.
What does "routine public health systems and emergency response structures" mean here?
The opportunity highlights improving the connections between day-to-day surveillance and public health operations and the mechanisms used for escalation, communication, and action during emergencies, so detection triggers timely response.
Does the opportunity include a One Health approach?
Yes. The grant explicitly incorporates a One Health approach, recognizing that human health is intertwined with animal health and environmental conditions.
What does One Health involve for this opportunity?
It supports activities to strengthen cross-sector collaboration and help model disease patterns across India, which is relevant for emerging infections involving zoonotic spillover or ecological drivers.
Why is One Health emphasized for emerging infectious diseases?
Emerging infections may involve transmission between people, animals, and environments. A One Health approach is intended to improve the ability to anticipate and interpret disease trends by considering these interactions rather than treating human cases in isolation.
What is the award ceiling?
The listed award ceiling is $3,000,000.
How many awards are expected?
The opportunity indicates an expectation of a single award.
What is the activity category and CFDA number?
The activity category is health, and the CFDA number listed is 93.326.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with details intended to be clarified in the full eligibility section of the announcement.
When was this funding opportunity created?
It was created on January 19, 2018.
What was the original closing date?
The original closing date was March 20, 2018.
How was the application required to be submitted?
The opportunity required electronic submission.
What was the submission deadline time zone and time?
Applications were due by 5:00 p.m. ET on the due date.
What is the main geographic focus of the project?
The program is focused on India, including selected high-burden areas and selected epidemiological zones within the country.
What are the main system areas this opportunity seeks to strengthen?
Based on the description, the main areas are surveillance, diagnostics, laboratory surveillance, evidence generation for burden estimation, and stronger linkages between detection systems and national/state emergency response mechanisms.
What types of outcomes is this opportunity aiming to improve?
The stated aims include quicker and more accurate detection, improved understanding of infectious disease causes and patterns, better ability to act on surveillance signals, and better-targeted prevention and response measures informed by improved diagnostics and stronger burden estimates.
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