The World Health Report 2007
The WHO recently released the 2007 World Health Report. You can find the link here. Here are some good cards:
Interconnected world much more at risk for spread of infectious diseases
WHO 2007
(World Health Organization, The world health report 2007 : a safer future : global public health security in the 21st century. accessed online Aug 26, 2007, http://www.who.int/whr/2007/en/ , p. x)
Today’s highly mobile, interdependent and interconnected world provides myriad opportunities for the rapid spread of infectious diseases, and radionuclear and toxic threats, which is why updated and expanded Regulations are necessary. Infectious diseases are now spreading geographically much faster than at any time in history. It is estimated that 2.1 billion airline passengers travelled in 2006; an outbreak or epidemic in any one part of the world is only a few hours away from becoming an imminent threat somewhere else (see Figure 1).
Without appropriate surveillance public health policy ineffective
WHO 2007
(World Health Organization, The world health report 2007 : a safer future : global public health security in the 21st century.accessed online Aug 26, 2007, http://www.who.int/whr/2007/en/, p. 18)
Surveillance is the cornerstone of public health security. Without appropriately designed and functioning surveillance systems, unusual but identifiable health events cannot be detected, monitored for their likely impact, quantified over time or measured for the effectiveness of interventions put in place to counteract them (see Figure 2.2).
Up to 1.5 billion people at risk for influenza pandemic
WHO 2007
(World Health Organization, The world health report 2007 : a safer future : global public health security in the 21st century.accessed online Aug 26, 2007, http://www.who.int/whr/2007/en/ p. 47)
Coming on the heels of the SARS outbreak, the prospect of an influenza pandemic
sparked immediate alarm around the world and with good reason. Far more contagious,
spread by coughing and sneezing and transmitted during an incubation period
too short to allow for contact tracing and isolation, pandemic influenza would extend
the devastating consequences that had been seen with SARS in Asia and Canada to
every corner of the world within a matter of months. Moreover, if a fully transmissible
pandemic virus emerged, the spread of the disease could not be prevented. Even a
measure as drastic as a complete ban on international travel might, at best, delay
arrival of the virus in a country by a few weeks.
Based on experiences with past pandemics, illness affecting around 25% of the
world’s population has been predicted by some experts. This calculates to more than
1.5 billion people – more than the combined populations of China and the United States.
Should this prove accurate, the impact that the first influenza pandemic since the turn
of the century would have on national and international public
health, and on economic and political security, can easily be
foreseen. Even if the virus caused relatively mild symptoms,
the economic and social disruption arising from sudden surges
of illness in so many people – occurring almost simultaneously
throughout the world – would be enormous.
World is ready for bird flu
WHO 2007
(World Health Organization, The world health report 2007 : a safer future : global public health security in the 21st century.accessed online Aug 26, 2007, http://www.who.int/whr/2007/en/ p. 52)
By 1 May 2007, nearly all countries had established an avian and human pandemic
preparedness plan based on the major areas under the WHO plan. This is an impressive
and encouraging response. Moreover, WHO has undertaken over 50 missions to
support countries experiencing outbreaks of human cases of avian influenza and to
assist in laboratory testing and specimen collection, epidemiological investigations,
surveillance and risk assessment, social mobilization and outbreak communications,
clinical care and infection control, and logistics.
Not all countries have resources to implement WHO regulations
WHO 2007
(World Health Organization, The world health report 2007 : a safer future : global public health security in the 21st century.accessed online Aug 26, 2007, http://www.who.int/whr/2007/en/ p. 58)
If an event falls within the requirements of the decision instrument,
and is confirmed to be a public health emergency of international concern,
the country is obliged to report it to WHO. In turn, WHO and its partners
will respond as necessary with support to contain the threat at its source.
This is, of course, how the Regulations best serve the interests of global
public health security in an ideal world. In reality, not all countries have the
resources to fully meet the core capacity requirements of the Regulations
immediately, or even by the 2012 deadline. They are, therefore, poorly
equipped to detect, identify and respond to events, compromising global
public health security.
This limitation poses significant challenges to all countries, WHO
and its partners in global public health security.
Bilaterial (state to state) agreements key to implementing WHO regulations
WHO 2007
(World Health Organization, The world health report 2007 : a safer future : global public health security in the 21st century.accessed online Aug 26, 2007, http://www.who.int/whr/2007/en/ p. 58)
Trust between countries is also critical in establishing the highest level of global
health security possible. All 193 WHO Member States are parties to IHR (2005), but
not all currently have the capacity requirements to implement them fully. Technical
and financial assistance, beyond that provided by WHO, will be necessary. Bilateral
agreements will be built on the understanding that failure in one country is a threat to
all, and global benefits can only come from mutual cooperation.
WHO report recognizes individuals as key actors
WHO 2007
(World Health Organization, The world health report 2007 : a safer future : global public health security in the 21st century.accessed online Aug 26, 2007, http://www.who.int/whr/2007/en/ p. 67)
Although the subject of The World Health Report 2007 has taken a global
approach to public health, WHO is not neglecting the fact that all individuals –
women, men and children – are affected by the common threats to health. It is
vital not to lose sight of the personal consequences of global health challenges.
This was the inspiration that led to the “health for all” commitment towards
primary health care in 1978. That commitment and the principles supporting
it remain untarnished and as essential as ever.
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