EVALUATION OF IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERNATIONAL HEALTH REGULATIONS (IHR 2005) CORE CAPACITIES OF NIGERIAN PORT OF ENTRY IN COMBATING TRANS-BORDER SPREAD OF DISEASES
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Date
2018-07
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
ProQuest
Abstract
Background: The increase in travel and trade globally and locally creates favorable
conditions for emerging and re-emerging and spread of international infectious diseases
across borders. In controlling this menace, International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) were
adopted to prevent, protect, control and provide a public health response to trans-boundary
diseases. There is urgent need to examine the core capacity and provisions of the regulations
in tackling the issues over years.
Objective: This study evaluates the strength and weaknesses of the International Health
Regulations (IHR 2005) Core Capacities across Nigerian Points of Entry in combating transborder diseases spread.
Methods: A descriptive comparative cross-sectional study that employed qualitative and
quantitative techniques. Two Hundred and Sixty-Eight (268) respondents were selected
randomly across few Points of Entry (POEs) of Semen Land Border (SLB), Murtala
Mohammed International Airport Lagos (MMIAL) Apapa Sea Port (ASP) and Nnamdi
Azikwe International airport Abuja (NAIAA). Using simple random sampling, respondents
were selected from the frontline port health workers, port security personnel and staff of
Federal Ministry of Health headquarters and thereafter stratified quantitatively and
qualitatively into (162) and (106) respectively. A semi-structure, paper-based, intervieweradministered questionnaire and Focus Group Discussions / Key Informant interviews were
adopted to draw relevant information on core capacities among such includes human
resources / staffing at POEs, risk communication, policy and legislation, coordination core
capacity, surveillance and response to Public Health Event of International Concern (PHEIC),
containment and Public Health threats/ Emergency Preparedness and training and building of
capacity. Qualitative data were analyzed with thematic methods while quantitative data were
analyzed using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (version 23) for descriptive and
inferential statistics at p>0.05. Results: Generally, there was moderately low level of
knowledge and understanding of the IHR across all POEs investigated and this follow the
order MMIAL>NAIAA>ASP>SLB. It revealed that human resources / staffing at POEs was
generally inadequate across all POEs. (SLB) being (55.0%), MMIAL (43.0%) and ASP
(33.0%) respectively. Risk Communication within the POEs was adequate at SLB (50.0%),
MMIAL (55.0%) and ASP (23.0%). Policy and Legislation within the POEs was adequate at
SLB (55.0%), MMIAL (55.0%) and ASP (53.0%). Coordination of core capacity within the
POEs was also adequate at SLB (22.0%), MMIAL (55.0%) and ASP (19.0%) respectively.
There were weak and fragmented co-ordination at SLB and ASP.
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Responses to Public Health Event of International Concern (PHEIC) within the POEs were
adequate at SLB (47.5%), MMIAL (44.0%) and ASP (22.0%). Surveillance of core capacity
within the POEs was rated adequate at SLB (60.0%), MMIAL (33.0%) and ASP (26.5%).
Containment and Public Health threats/ Emergency Preparedness within the POEs were rated
adequate at SLB (60.0%), MMIAL (33.0%) and ASP (25.0%). There is neither ‘’no standard
format on safety by IHR to access effectively level of environmental safety nor special
training attended by any of the respondents as aiding or facilitating comprehension of the
IHR policy/guideline. All the respondents agreed concerning the non-official designation of
any of Nigerians POEs as WHO officially designated to implement the IHR 2005
policy/guideline. It was noted that core capacities in all the Points of Entry were inadequate.
None of the core capacities at POEs has achieved the requirements stipulated in the IHR
(2005) despite the selected POEs were the busiest and highest international traffic flow in
Nigeria.
Conclusion: The core capacities such as effective laboratory services, surveillance,
emergency preparedness and response, and risk communication to respond to public health
threats at POEs should be strengthened to combat trans-border diseases spread.