Assessment of Human Resources Core Capacity under International Health Regulations 2005 (Ihr 2005) At Ports Of Entry (Poe) In Lagos.
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Date
2018-09
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
IOSR Journal of Environmental Science, Toxicology and Food Technology (IOSR-JESTFT)
Abstract
International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) is an international legal instrument that is binding in 196
World Health Organisation (WHO) member countries worldwide that aims to prevent, protect against, control,
and respond to the international spread of disease and to cut out unnecessary interruptions to traffic and trade
especially in all the member states of World Health Organization (WHO) [1]. The IHR 2005 is also applied to
our Country- Nigeria.
The IHR (2005) is a result of the revision of its predecessor, IHR 1969 which did not adapt to the
development of international trade and disease spectrum, especially the Public Health Emergency of
International Concern (PHEIC). To lower the transmission risk of diseases at international airports, ground
crossings, or ports, the IHR (2005) is designed to meet the requirements. [1-2]
As a legally binding global framework, the IHR (2005) aims to prevent, protect against, control, and
provide a public health response to the international spread of disease as well as avoid unnecessary interruptions
to traffic and trade [2]
We are living in a world today that is highly mobile, interdependent, and interconnected, giving
tremendous opportunities for diseases to spread rapidly. Furthermore, the public has been focusing on new
health events caused by chemical, nuclear, and sudden environmental changes in the recent past [3]
The countries meeting the IHR 2005 requirements need to develop a minimum particular core public
health capacity and to notify the WHO of any event that is considered a public health event of international
concern(PHEIC), which should be confirmed and declared by the WHO [4].
At the same time, the IHR clarifies a series of procedures that should be observed by the WHO to
protect global public health safety [4]. The revised IHR focuses on public health crisis prevention, which has
been expanded from certain “quarantine diseases” to any public health emergencies that may cause international
repercussions.
The implementation of the IHR shifts from the passive barrier of entry and exit points to the proactive
risk management, aiming at early detection of any international threat before its formation and at stopping it
from the very beginning [5]. To meet the IHR requirements, the countries need to develop, strengthen, and
maintain core response capacities for public health risk and PHEIC and to meet the related core capacity
requirements before June 15, 2012 (within 5 years after the enforcement of the revised IHR). If not, then an
extension of the application to 2014 and another 2-year extension afterward for particular circumstances will be
approved [6-9].
Following the „„One-health approach‟‟ of WHO for surveillance, emergency responses, prevention,
management and control of infectious disease, it is imperative to assess distribution of personnel by profession
at each point of entry so as to determine whether staffing is adequate or otherwise. Hence this study aims at
assessing the adequacy or other wise of Human resources needed as frontline workers at PoEs for the
implementation of IHR 2005.