News Release

2005-47
May 27, 2005
For immediate release

Minister of Health, Minister of State and Chief Public Health Officer applaud the adoption of new International Health Regulations

OTTAWA - Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh, Minister of State (Public Health) Dr. Carolyn Bennett, and Canada's Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. David Butler-Jones, welcome the new International Health Regulations, which were approved May 23, 2005, at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.

The new International Health Regulations will define the roles of the World Health Organization (WHO) and member countries like Canada in identifying and responding to public health emergencies of international concern and sharing information about them. Their goal is to prevent, protect against, control and provide a public health response to the outbreak of communicable diseases that have a potential to spread internationally, while avoiding unnecessary interference with international traffic.

"Canada was a strong supporter of the adoption of these regulations and was recognized as contributing to their development," said Minister Dosanjh. "The revised regulations increase our capacity to respond to international health threats, such as an influenza pandemic in an international way with collaboration between governments and the World Health Organization."

For Canada, the importance of the new health regulations is that they provide a clear, transparent and scientifically-based assessment and review process for determining public health emergencies of international concern; universal application of the rules; and clear roles for all players. Canada joined other countries in thanking all delegates to the World Health Assembly for their commitment to making the world a safer place through agreement on a clear set of international health regulations for dealing with the very real threat of the international spread of disease.

"Many public health threats do not stop at borders and cannot be dealt with in isolation," said Dr. Bennett, Minister of State (Public Health). "The outbreak of SARS in 2003 and the current avian flu threat highlight the need for new rules and operational mechanisms that facilitate a more coordinated international response to the spread of disease."

"With these regulations and the many enhancements to public health in Canada, including the establishment of the Public Health Agency of Canada, we are well positioned to meet the requirements of the revised regulations," said Dr. Butler-Jones.

The regulations will formally come into force on May 23, 2007, two years from the date on which they were adopted by the World Health Assembly. The Government of Canada will be working closely with the appropriate provincial and territorial authorities to implement the regulations.

For more information on the International Health Regulations visit:
http://www.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA58/A58_55-en.pdf

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Media Inquiries:
Paul Duchesne
Health Canada
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Aggie Adamczyk
Public Health Agency
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Adèle Blanchard
Office of Minister Dosanjh
Minister of Health
(613) 957-0200

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