The World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Health Regulations (IHR) working group has released its final proposed amendments to a global treaty. WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced Monday though member states failed to agree on a global pandemic treaty in the months leading up to the 77th annual World Health Assembly (WHA) meeting in Geneva, he was still hopeful the global organization would come through with an agreed-upon policy. Indeed, the IHR working group managed to find some consensus on certain amendments to an existing policy that dates back to 2005, the IHR while the “pandemic preparedness treaty” sits on the back burner. The amended document, dated May 27, 2024, shows sections member states have achieved consensus on in green and updated proposals (not yet agreed-upon) in yellow. The IHR bureau agreed each country should have “one or two entities to serve as "National IHR Authority” and a “National IHR Focal Point” to be “responsible within its respective jurisdiction for the implementation of health measures” under IHR regulations.The implementation of IHR in a given state continues to uphold “full respect for the dignity, human rights and fundamental freedoms of persons,” the amendments state, but it has been added that the regulations “shall promote equity and solidarity.”.All IHR should be implemented by the United Nation Charter and the Constitution of the World Health Organization in coordination with state authorities, but both “standing” (ongoing) and “temporary recommendations” are “non-binding,” states the document. Such regulations include “surveillance and reporting” in “points of entry, public health services, clinics and hospitals and other government departments.” Member states have up to five years to implement such systems. If they do not meet this criteria, they may apply for a two-year extension. Through this surveillance program, the “WHO shall collect information regarding events through its surveillance activities and assess their potential to cause international disease spread and possible interference with international traffic.”“A State Party should keep WHO advised thereof through the National IHR Focal Point and consult with WHO on appropriate health measures in a timely manner.” Countries have 24 hours to share health information with the WHO when a new disease or vector of disease is discovered; if the state in question “does not accept the offer of collaboration, and when justified by the magnitude of the public health risk, WHO may should share with other States Parties the information available to it” through surveillance..A prominent subject in the amendments is vaccine-oriented, including vaccine mandates and vaccination records. The IHR may issue "recommendations" for "affected persons", such as grant the state and IHR entity to "review travel history," "review proof of medical examination and any laboratory analysis," "require medical examinations," "review proof of vaccination," "require vaccination," "place suspect persons under public health observation," "implement quarantine or other health measures," "implement isolation and treatment," "implement tracing of contacts," "refuse entry" of both affected and "unaffected persons to affected areas," and "implement exit screening and/or restrictions on persons from affected areas.".The IHR policy dictates all persons must hold specific "health documents" "provided" to them through IHR. They may be either digital or non-digital, WHO agents decided, and the organization, in conjunction with the "States Parties, shall develop and update" tools to ascertain document authenticity regardless of the format. If a traveller has these documents, they should be allowed to gain entry into other countries, the amendments state. .Below is a photo of what the vaccination form would look like. The form must be "signed in the hand of by the clinician" or health care worker who "supervised the administration of the vaccine or prophylaxis.".Travelers will be denied entry if they do not carry the relevant documentation. All such "certificates" must "so bear the official stamp of the administering centre; however, this shall not be an accepted substitute for the signature. ".All vaccines (future and present) must be approved by the WHO and have been tested for safety and efficacy, the often-mention Appendix 6 of the document reads. Vaccines "recommended under these Regulations shall be of suitable quality," it states. "Persons undergoing vaccination or other prophylaxis under these Regulations shall be provided with an international certificate of vaccination.""No departure shall be made from the model of the certificate specified in this Annex."
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Health Regulations (IHR) working group has released its final proposed amendments to a global treaty. WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced Monday though member states failed to agree on a global pandemic treaty in the months leading up to the 77th annual World Health Assembly (WHA) meeting in Geneva, he was still hopeful the global organization would come through with an agreed-upon policy. Indeed, the IHR working group managed to find some consensus on certain amendments to an existing policy that dates back to 2005, the IHR while the “pandemic preparedness treaty” sits on the back burner. The amended document, dated May 27, 2024, shows sections member states have achieved consensus on in green and updated proposals (not yet agreed-upon) in yellow. The IHR bureau agreed each country should have “one or two entities to serve as "National IHR Authority” and a “National IHR Focal Point” to be “responsible within its respective jurisdiction for the implementation of health measures” under IHR regulations.The implementation of IHR in a given state continues to uphold “full respect for the dignity, human rights and fundamental freedoms of persons,” the amendments state, but it has been added that the regulations “shall promote equity and solidarity.”.All IHR should be implemented by the United Nation Charter and the Constitution of the World Health Organization in coordination with state authorities, but both “standing” (ongoing) and “temporary recommendations” are “non-binding,” states the document. Such regulations include “surveillance and reporting” in “points of entry, public health services, clinics and hospitals and other government departments.” Member states have up to five years to implement such systems. If they do not meet this criteria, they may apply for a two-year extension. Through this surveillance program, the “WHO shall collect information regarding events through its surveillance activities and assess their potential to cause international disease spread and possible interference with international traffic.”“A State Party should keep WHO advised thereof through the National IHR Focal Point and consult with WHO on appropriate health measures in a timely manner.” Countries have 24 hours to share health information with the WHO when a new disease or vector of disease is discovered; if the state in question “does not accept the offer of collaboration, and when justified by the magnitude of the public health risk, WHO may should share with other States Parties the information available to it” through surveillance..A prominent subject in the amendments is vaccine-oriented, including vaccine mandates and vaccination records. The IHR may issue "recommendations" for "affected persons", such as grant the state and IHR entity to "review travel history," "review proof of medical examination and any laboratory analysis," "require medical examinations," "review proof of vaccination," "require vaccination," "place suspect persons under public health observation," "implement quarantine or other health measures," "implement isolation and treatment," "implement tracing of contacts," "refuse entry" of both affected and "unaffected persons to affected areas," and "implement exit screening and/or restrictions on persons from affected areas.".The IHR policy dictates all persons must hold specific "health documents" "provided" to them through IHR. They may be either digital or non-digital, WHO agents decided, and the organization, in conjunction with the "States Parties, shall develop and update" tools to ascertain document authenticity regardless of the format. If a traveller has these documents, they should be allowed to gain entry into other countries, the amendments state. .Below is a photo of what the vaccination form would look like. The form must be "signed in the hand of by the clinician" or health care worker who "supervised the administration of the vaccine or prophylaxis.".Travelers will be denied entry if they do not carry the relevant documentation. All such "certificates" must "so bear the official stamp of the administering centre; however, this shall not be an accepted substitute for the signature. ".All vaccines (future and present) must be approved by the WHO and have been tested for safety and efficacy, the often-mention Appendix 6 of the document reads. Vaccines "recommended under these Regulations shall be of suitable quality," it states. "Persons undergoing vaccination or other prophylaxis under these Regulations shall be provided with an international certificate of vaccination.""No departure shall be made from the model of the certificate specified in this Annex."
