scholarly journals Public health emergencies of international concern and the revision of the International Health Regulations – latest update

2002 ◽  
Vol 6 (20) ◽  
Author(s):  
N Gill
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Yellow Fever ◽  
International Health ◽  
Progress Report ◽  
World Health ◽  
International Health Regulations ◽  
Public Health Emergencies ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Health Regulations

The latest progress report from the World Health Organization (WHO) states that broadening the requirement to notify WHO, from the present three diseases listed in the regulations (cholera, plague and yellow fever), is central to the revision of the International Health Regulations (IHR) that is under way (1).

scholarly journals The world health organization: The (un)attainable ideal?

2021 ◽  
Vol 60 (91) ◽  
pp. 271-286
Author(s):  
Jovana Blešić
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
World Health Organization ◽  
International Health ◽  
Public Health Emergency ◽  
World Health ◽  
Director General ◽  
International Health Regulations ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Health Regulations

The World Health Organization (WHO) is one of the UN specialized agencies. Its work and functions gained even more importance in 2020 with the emergence of the corona virus. The eyes of the entire international community focused on this organization and its Director General. Nowadays, its efficiency has been subject to various forms of criticism. In this paper, the author first provides a brief overview of this organization and its significance. The central part of the paper focuses on the activities of the WHO during the Covid-19 pandemic, through the clarification of the concept of public health emergency of international concern and the use of International Health Regulations. Finally, the author discusses the possible reform of this body. The aim of this paper is to familiarize the readers with the World Health Organization and put its activities in the context of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals THE VETERINARIAN IN PANDEMY SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19): BACKGROUND AND ATTRIBUTIONS

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 026-033
Author(s):  
Kalina Maria de Medeiros Gomes Simplício ◽  
Giovanni Vargas-Hernández ◽  
Mauro Henrique Bueno de Camargo ◽  
Michelly Fernandes de Macedo
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
World Health Organization ◽  
International Health ◽  
Public Health Emergency ◽  
World Health ◽  
International Health Regulations ◽  
The World ◽  
International Importance ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Health Regulations

In December 2019, the world watched in disbelief as a viral epidemic, originating in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, took on frightening proportions. On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of the disease caused by the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) to be a public health emergency of international importance, the highest level of alert of the Organization, as provided in the International Health Regulations (IHR, 2016). On March 11, 2020, the epidemic was declared a pandemic by the WHO. Despite the rapid distribution of the new virus, many countries were reluctant or slow to comply strictly with the prophylactic methods suggested by those who had already experienced the whole situation of threat to the health of their populations.

International Health Regulations and Transmissible Diseases

2019 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-102
Author(s):  
Anika Klafki
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Global Health ◽  
International Health ◽  
Public Health Emergency ◽  
World Health ◽  
Health Law ◽  
International Health Regulations ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Health Regulations

The world is increasingly vulnerable to infectious diseases. Although the fundamental reform of the International Health Regulations (IHR) in 2005 was heralded as the beginning of a new era of international health law, the Ebola outbreak 2014 shattered all hopes that the world would now be adequately equipped for epidemic outbreaks of transmissible diseases. The Ebola crisis is perceived as an epic failure on the part of the World Health Organization (WHO). The many dead are a sad testimony to the world's inability to adequately respond to the threat posed by contagions. In reaction to this defeat, policymakers now focus on hands-on initiatives to foster global health instead of reformulating international health law. So far, extensive investments and innovations within the WHO, the United Nations system, and in the private sector have multiplied rapidly. The mushrooming of various health initiatives, however, increases the complexity and reduces the consistency of the current global health landscape. The leadership role of the WHO needs to be restored to provide a coherent response for the next global scale public health emergency. To this end, a fundamental reform of the presently widely neglected international regulatory framework in the field of public law, the IHR, is of vital importance. Keywords: World Health Organization, International Health Regulations, Infectious Diseases, Ebola, Influenza, Public Health, Public Health Emergency

Global Health Security Demands a Strong International Health Regulations Treaty and Leadership From a Highly Resourced World Health Organization

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 568-580 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederick M. Burkle
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Global Health ◽  
International Health ◽  
World Health ◽  
International Health Regulations ◽  
Global Health Security ◽  
Health Security ◽  
Public Health Emergencies ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Health Regulations

AbstractIf the Ebola tragedy of West Africa has taught us anything, it should be that the 2005 International Health Regulations (IHR) Treaty, which gave unprecedented authority to the World Health Organization (WHO) to provide global public health security during public health emergencies of international concern, has fallen severely short of its original goal. After encouraging successes with the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) pandemic, the intent of the legally binding Treaty to improve the capacity of all countries to detect, assess, notify, and respond to public health threats has shamefully lapsed. Despite the granting of 2-year extensions in 2012 to countries to meet core surveillance and response requirements, less than 20% of countries have complied. Today it is not realistic to expect that these gaps will be solved or narrowed in the foreseeable future by the IHR or the WHO alone under current provisions. The unfortunate failures that culminated in an inadequate response to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa are multifactorial, including funding, staffing, and poor leadership decisions, but all are reversible. A rush by the Global Health Security Agenda partners to fill critical gaps in administrative and operational areas has been crucial in the short term, but questions remain as to the real priorities of the G20 as time elapses and critical gaps in public health protections and infrastructure take precedence over the economic and security needs of the developed world. The response from the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network and foreign medical teams to Ebola proved indispensable to global health security, but both deserve stronger strategic capacity support and institutional status under the WHO leadership granted by the IHR Treaty. Treaties are the most successful means the world has in preventing, preparing for, and controlling epidemics in an increasingly globalized world. Other options are not sustainable. Given the gravity of ongoing failed treaty management, the slow and incomplete process of reform, the magnitude and complexity of infectious disease outbreaks, and the rising severity of public health emergencies, a recommitment must be made to complete and restore the original mandates as a collaborative and coordinated global network responsibility, not one left to the actions of individual countries. The bottom line is that the global community can no longer tolerate an ineffectual and passive international response system. As such, this Treaty has the potential to become one of the most effective treaties for crisis response and risk reduction worldwide. Practitioners and health decision-makers worldwide must break their silence and advocate for a stronger Treaty and a return of WHO authority. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2015;9:568–580)

scholarly journals The Global Governance of Infectious Diseases: The World Health Organization and the International Health Regulations

1969 ◽  
pp. 497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosario M. Isasi ◽  
Thu Minh Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
World Health Organization ◽  
Global Governance ◽  
International Health ◽  
World Health ◽  
International Health Regulations ◽  
Health Governance ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Health Regulations

The 2003 SARS outbreak exemplified both the porous boundaries for infectious disease due to globalization and the inadequacy of global governance of public health. The World Health Organization (WHO), whose mission is to play a leading role in the protection and promotion of global public health, recently adopted a revision of its International Health Regulations (IHR). By revising and updating the IHR, it remains to be seen whether this new instrument can serve as a model for effective public health governance, allowing the WHO to fulfil its mandate. The authors provide background on the role and evaluation of the WHO in global health governance. They then provide a comparative analysis between the 2005 IHR with the original 1969 IHR in terms of scope, procedure, response networks, capacities and respect for human rights.

Coping with Public Health Emergencies of International Concern

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iris Hunger
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
International Health ◽  
International Order ◽  
World Health ◽  
International Health Regulations ◽  
Public Health Emergencies ◽  
Surveillance And Response ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Health Regulations ◽  
Complete Overhaul

This chapter looks at the part of international order relating to surveillance and response to public health emergencies of international concern, which in turn forms part of the broader partial international order on global health. The main actor on international health emergencies control is the World Health Organization (WHO), with the International Health Regulations (IHR) being the applicable legally binding document. Based on much older sanitary agreements, the IHR came into being in 1969. Looking in detail at the response to the major international health emergencies following the complete overhaul of the IHR in 2005—pandemic influenza declared in 2009, polio 2014, Ebola 2014, and Zika 2016—this chapter argues that the WHO has become considerably more effective over the last two decades in countering international health emergencies, and that the international order on health emergencies response is remarkably robust, having so far not shown signs of disintegration or decline.

Multinational Outbreak Investigations

2019 ◽  
pp. 295-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Mahoney ◽  
James W. Le Duc
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
International Health ◽  
World Health ◽  
Roles And Responsibilities ◽  
Health Events ◽  
The World ◽  
Outbreak Investigations ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Health Regulations

Multinational collaborations on international outbreak investigations and response have a long history. Development of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1948 was closely linked to efforts by the global community to prevent, detect, and respond to outbreaks of international concern. Through the International Health Regulations (IHR) of 2005, a legally binding instrument requiring countries to report certain outbreaks and public health events, WHO outlined a strategy for disease threat response. Efforts by global partners to strengthen cooperation have evolved over the years, including roles and responsibilities of WHO, its Member States, and other partners. Among the challenges faced by Member State and WHO in implementing the IHRs are limited funding to support staffing and operational support as well as sometimes conflicting multijurisdictional decision-making. The response to recent outbreaks provides evidence that much work remains to be done to strengthen IHR mechanisms.

scholarly journals The Stellenbosch Consensus on Legal National Responses to Public Health Risks

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-68
Author(s):  
Roojin Habibi ◽  
Steven J. Hoffman ◽  
Gian Luca Burci ◽  
Thana Cristina de Campos ◽  
Danwood Chirwa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Global Health ◽  
International Health ◽  
World Health ◽  
Vienna Convention ◽  
Health Security ◽  
Public Health Emergencies ◽  
The Face ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Health Regulations

Abstract The International Health Regulations (ihr), of which the World Health Organization is custodian, govern how countries collectively promote global health security, including prevention, detection, and response to global health emergencies such as the ongoing covid-19 pandemic. Countries are permitted to exercise their sovereignty in taking additional health measures to respond to such emergencies if these measures adhere to Article 43 of this legally binding instrument. Overbroad measures taken during recent public health emergencies of international concern, however, reveal that the provision remains inadequately understood. A shared understanding of the measures legally permitted by Article 43 is a necessary step in ensuring the fulfillment of obligations, and fostering global solidarity and resilience in the face of future pandemics. In this consensus statement, public international law scholars specializing in global health consider the legal meaning of Article 43 using the interpretive framework of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties.

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