Revising the International Health Regulations

The revised International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) adopted by the World Health Assembly Member States in May 2005 recognizes the need to prevent, protect against, control, and provide a public health response to the international spread of disease in ways that are commensurate with and are restricted to public health risks, and avoid unnecessary interference with international traffic and trade. In an increasingly globalized world, journey times are often shorter than the incubation period of disease, placing Canadian cities and citizens at risk of being affected by outbreaks that begin in other parts of the world.

The Regulations are an innovative set of rules and procedures agreed upon by 193 countries aimed at making the world more secure from threats to global health by governing key elements in the prevention and control of infectious disease spread, including:

• disease surveillance;
• determination of public health emergencies of international concern (PHEIC);
• notification, verification and response to a PHEIC;
• provisions for routine and emergency health measures at airports, marine ports, and ground crossings;
• provisions for conveyances and conveyance operators, goods, containers and container loading areas, as possible sources of infection or contamination; and
• surveillance of travellers and other migrant populations.

The rules and procedures set out in the Regulations represent a universal platform from which member states can evaluate, enhance and build a complete and comprehensive epidemic alert and response system consistent with international norms. Once fully implemented, the tools, systems, rules, procedures and mechanisms put in place will establish a critical and fundamental element of the national public health system and will serve as a vital tool for international and domestic public health security.

Internationally, Canada has provided and will continue to provide, technical advice and support to the World Health Organization (WHO) Secretariat in developing tools for member states to implement the Regulations. Canada is also working with its North American neighbours on the development of common practices for such matters as border screening and control, and will continue regional and global bi-lateral and multi-lateral efforts in order to promote and build on best practices with other member states.

Nationally, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has the lead for implementing the Regulations within the Agency and across Federal and Provincial/Territorial governments. An IHR implementation team and project have been initiated. Many of the systems and programs that are required by the Regulations are in place or under development. For example, the Agency has been designated as the National IHR Focal Point. The National Focal Point is a national public health operations centre designated by each World Health Assembly Member State that is accessible at all times (24/7/365) for communication within its jurisdictions, as well as all other World Health Organization IHR Contact Points. The 24/7/365 monitoring capability has already been established, and work to develop the supporting programs around the focal point is underway.

Canada must submit an assessment and action plan outlining our capacity to meet the IHR requirements by June 2009, with full IHR compliance expected by June 2012. The Public Health Agency of Canada will continue to work with Federal and Provincial/Territorial partners in the development of a national strategy, ensuring we achieve full IHR compliance under the required time-lines.

More information on the International Health Regulations can be found through the following web links:

• Intergovernmental Working Group on the Revision of the IHR
  (February 21-26, 2005 )
• Access to the draft IHR revisions: Proposal by Chair
  (24 January 2005)
• Access to the draft IHR revisions: Proposal by Chair - CORRIGENDUM
  (24 January 2005)
• Canadian Stakeholder Comments on the January 12, 2004 Working Paper on the revised International Health Regulations
• Update on recent developments in the IHR revision process
  (14 December 2004 )
• WHO Frequently Asked Questions on IHRs revisions
• Other country views on IHR revisions
• WHO Regional Offices' press releases on the IHRs revision process:
  • Revised International Health Regulations Address Global Threats (Pan American Region)
  • WHO calls for better weapons in the war on disease
    (Western Pacific Region)