November 3, 2004
For Immediate Release

News Release

International Health Regulations

The Government of Canada and other member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) will work to reach agreement on revised International Health Regulations at the Intergovernmental Working Group meeting in Geneva from November 1-12, 2004.

Canada has played an active role in the revision of the regulations, which will help countries worldwide deal more effectively with international public health emergencies, and better protect the health of Canadians.

"Outbreaks such as SARS and avian influenza, as well as the resurgence of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, have underscored the need for effective international monitoring, reporting and response," said Minister of Health Ujjal Dosanjh.

"Protecting against the international spread of disease is of critical importance when you consider that Canadians took more than 20 million trips abroad last year and Canada was a major destination point for millions of foreign visitors," added Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pierre Pettigrew. "The regulations will help to ensure a greater level of safety for travelling and domestic populations."

The purpose of the revised regulations is to protect against, control and respond to the international spread of diseases, while avoiding unnecessary interference with international traffic. They will establish a framework for effective international co operation in monitoring, reporting and responding to public health emergencies of international concern. They also put in place a transparent and rigorous process for declaring public health emergencies of international concern.

In response to the SARS outbreak and the emergence of avian influenza, the Government of Canada has taken a number of steps to strengthen our public health capacity. Canada's involvement in the negotiation of the revised regulations, as well as the establishment of a Public Health Agency of Canada, are among those initiatives.

The new Public Health Agency of Canada will be the "national focal point" for Canada's communications with the WHO in the event of a disease outbreak or public health emergency of international concern. It will play a key role in Canada's compliance with the new regulations, coordinating federal efforts to identify and reduce public health risks and threats, and supporting national readiness to respond to public health emergencies. The Agency will act as a hub for health surveillance, threat identification, disease prevention and control programs.

The Agency will also work with global partners such as the WHO, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the new European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, as well as other public health agencies around the world, sharing Canada's public health expertise, benefitting from others' experience, and creating international networks for collaboration and cooperation.

"With the establishment of the Public Health Agency of Canada and the appointment of the Chief Public Health Officer, as well as our already advanced public health infrastructure, Canada is well positioned to meet the requirements of the revised regulations," added Dr. Carolyn Bennett, Minister of State (Public Health).

The proposed revisions contain a number of changes to the existing regulations, which were adopted in 1969:

• The scope of the regulations is broader. Member states will be required to notify the WHO of all events that could be considered "a public health emergency of international concern", rather than provide notification for only the three currently listed diseases of cholera, yellow fever and the plague.

• All member states will be required to establish a national IHR focal point to act as the contact point for WHO at all times, and play a central role in the notification of potential public health emergencies of international concern. In Canada, the new Public Health Agency of Canada will be this focal point.

• The revised regulations establish minimum requirements for surveillance and response capacities by member states.

• The revised regulations also outline an agreed process that member states will be required to follow in determining a public health emergency of international concern, and that the WHO will follow in issuing recommendations with respect to health and control measures that might be needed.

The Government of Canada strongly supports the need for the updating of these International Health Regulations, and looks forward to participating in the upcoming negotiations.

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Media Inquiries:
Aggie Adamczyk
Public Health Agency of Canada
(613) 941-8189

Kimberly Phillips
Media Relations, Foreign Affairs Canada
(613) 944-7127

Adèle Blanchard
Office of the Minister of Health
(613) 957-0200

Tricia Geddes
Office of the Minister of State (Public Health)
(613) 941-8081