International
Health Regulations enter into force
New
opportunity to respond to international public health threats
14 JUNE 2007 | GENEVA -- The revised International Health
Regulations (IHR) enter into force on Friday, 15 June. The Regulations consist
of a comprehensive and tested set
of
rules and procedures which will help to make the world more secure from threats
to global health. They were agreed by the World Health Assembly in 2005 and
represent a
major step forward in
international public health security.The Regulations establish an agreed framework of
commitments and responsibilities for States and for WHO to
invest in limiting the
international spread of epidemics and other public health emergencies while
minimizing disruption to travel, trade and economies. Under the revised
IHR, States will be required
to report all events that could result in public health emergencies of
international concern, including those caused by chemical
agents, radioactive
materials and contaminated
food. In the early 21st Century, demographic, economic and environmental
pressures have created a unique combination of conditions that
allow new and re-emerging
infectious diseases to spread as never before. The experience of recent decades
shows that no individual country can protect itself from diseases
and other public health
threats. All countries are vulnerable to the spread of pathogens and their
economic, political and social impact. The emergence of SARS in 2003
demonstrated as no previous
disease outbreak ever had how interconnected the world has become and how
rapidly a new disease can spread. This
shared
vulnerability has also created a
need for collective defenses and for shared responsibility in making these
defenses work. This is the underlying principle of the International
Health Regulations. "SARS was a wake-up call for all of us. It spread faster
than we had predicted and was only contained through intensive cooperation
between
countries which prevented this new disease from gaining a foothold,"
said Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization.
"Today, the
greatest threat to international public health security would be an
influenza pandemic. The threat of a pandemic has not receded, but implementation
of the IHR will help
the world to be better
prepared for the possibility of a pandemic." The Regulations build on the recent
experience of WHO and its partners in responding to and
containing disease outbreaks.
Recent experience shows that addressing public health threats at their source is
the most effective way to reduce their potential to
spread internationally. The
Regulations will help to ensure that outbreaks and other public health
emergencies of international concern are detected and investigated
more rapidly and that
collective international action is taken to support affected States to contain
the emergency, save lives and prevent its spread.
WHO has already developed and built an improved events
management system to manage potential public health emergencies. WHO has also
built strategic operations
centres at its Geneva Headquarters and in Regional
Offices around the world, which are available round-the-clock to manage
emergencies. WHO has also been
working with its partners to strengthen the
Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN), which brings together
experts from around the world to
respond to disease outbreaks.
"Implementing the IHR is a collective responsibility and
depends on the capacity of all countries to fulfil the new requirements," said
Dr David Heymann, WHO Assistant Director-General for Communicable Diseases. "WHO
will help countries to strengthen the necessary capacities to fully implement
the Regulations. This is our responsibility and we expect that the entire
international community is committed to the same goal of improving international
public health security."
WHO exercise to
test global system
On Friday, WHO will hold the first exercise to sharpen its
preparedness under the terms of the revised International Health Regulations.
The exercise will verify new procedures for receiving, analysing and responding
to information about potential public health emergencies. It will also ensure
the effectiveness of policy direction and coordination, information management
and risk assessment capacity and communications between the Regional and Country
Offices and Headquarters of WHO.
The exercise is the first of a series meant to test and
improve the mechanisms in place in and between Member States and at different
levels of WHO.
Note to
editors/reporters: The revised IHR requirements
-
Notification.
Greater openness demanded by a world in which serious disease events are
increasingly visible.
The Regulations recognize that media and other unofficial reports often appear
in advance of official notification of a public health emergency of
international concern. To expedite the flow of timely and accurate
information, countries are required to notify all events that may constitute a
public health emergency of international concern within 24 hours of
assessment.
-
Designation of
National IHR Focal Points: world on 24-hour alert.
Under the IHR every country is required to designate a National IHR Focal
Point, charged with providing to and receiving information from WHO on a 24
hour basis, seven days a week.
-
Establishment
of core public health capacities to maximize surveillance and response.
Under the IHR, each country is committed to develop and maintain core public
health capacities for surveillance and response. These capacities also include
outbreaks of chemical, radiological and food origin. States are required to
establish such core capacities as soon as possible, with a deadline of five
years after entry into force of the revised IHR.
-
New recognized
rights for international travellers.
The IHR for the first time include express requirements that international
travellers be treated with respect for their dignity, human rights and
fundamental freedoms when health measures are applied. At the same time, they
provide for examinations and other health measures as necessary to protect
against the international spread of disease.
-
Cross-sectoral
international collaboration key to implementing IHR.
WHO needs the support of all stakeholders to ensure international public
health security. The IHR foster multi-sectoral global partnership to respond
collectively in the face of epidemics and other major health emergencies.
-
Threat-specific
international programmes to improve international health security.
The IHR provide for strengthening existing international disease control
programmes, addressing infectious diseases, food safety and environmental
safety. These programmes make a vital contribution to the global alert and
response system as they allow development of generic and threat-specific
capacities.
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