About the IHR

The ease and speed of modern transport facilitate global commerce, migration and recreational travel. They also help the spread of communicable diseases such as the A(H1N1) influenza. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently classified the H1N1 as a pandemic, and infection from the virus has been particularly widespread in the Western Hemisphere (see the Pan-American Health Organization's regional H1N1 report). As the region's ports serve as a gateway for imports and exports, they also can be a vector for H1N1 and other communicable diseases.

The International Health Regulations (IHR) were created for situations such as this. The IHR are a global legal instrument intended to help the international community respond to acute public health risks that can potentially cross borders and threaten people worldwide, just like H1N1. The regulations are legally binding for 194 countries, including all the WHO member states.

The IHR entered into force on June 15, 2007 and require countries to report certain disease outbreaks and public health events to WHO. They define the rights and countries to report public health events, and establish procedures that WHO must follow to protect global public health security.

The IHR also require countries to strengthen their existing capacities for public health surveillance and response. WHO is working with countries to provide technical guidance and support to mobilize the resources needed to implement the new rules in an effective and timely manner.

** Click here to read more about the International Health Regulations (2005) and their implications for ports in the Hemisphere.

Email specific questions on ports and the IHR to ihrtransport@who.int.