HEALTH%20SECURITY:%20PUBLIC%20HEALTH%20THREATS%20AND%20RESPONSE

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HEALTH SECURITY PUBLIC HEALTH THREATS AND
RESPONSE
Hemispheric Security Commission Organization
American States

• Cristina V. Beato, M.D.
• Deputy Director

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Health and security

• Global Health is a matter of national and
  international security
• Certain infectious diseases are becoming an
  ever-increasing global threat
• International Health Regulations (IHR) is a
  global respond to Health Security concern

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Declaration on Security in the Americas Clauses
related to Health

• Clause 38 Epidemic diseases as national and
  international security threat
• Clause 39 Natural and man-made disaster
• Clauses 40 41 Environmental deterioration and
  global climate change
• Clause 42 Strengthen the systems, institutions,
  and mechanisms of the Inter-American system

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Health Security Response International Health
Regulation

• The purpose and scope of these Regulations are to
  prevent, protect, and provide a public health
  response to the international threat and spread
  of diseases. Also, avoid unnecessary disruption
  of international travel and trade

Maintain the sovereignty of states and cause
minimal disruption to international flow of
people and goods
Contain the international spread of diseases
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IHR Member States commitment to implement

• PAHO/WHO and its Member States initiated work on
  activities related to the implementation of the
  International Health Regulations (IHR) well
  before their entry into force.
• By 15 June 2009, Member States must have assessed
  the ability of their existing national public
  health infrastructure, to include human and
  financial resources, to meet core surveillance
  and response capacity requirements described in
  Annex A of the IHR (2005).

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IHR Status Update

• Almost all Member States have successfully
  participated in simulation tests of communication
  with PAHO
• Several Member States in the Southern Cone and
  Central America are already conducting
  assessments of their national capacity for
  surveillance and response
• PAHO has supported Member States by providing
  guidance and tools for IHR implementation and by
  raising awareness of the key elements of the IHR
  at subregional and national meetings

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Actions on HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria and other
epidemic diseases

• The Three Ones principles, represents an approach
  to the organization of the response to HIV in the
  countries
• Through the Strategic Fund, PAHO has helped
  countries that participate in global
  antiretroviral initiatives as well as Global Fund
  projects
• The Regional Strategy for Tuberculosis Control
  for 20052015 was established in order to provide
  a response tailored to the problems in each
  country
• PAHO is working with countries to fight against
  malaria in endemic regions. Malaria has declined
  in the Region in recent years, but the disease
  continues to be a public health problem of first
  magnitude.

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Actions on natural and man-made disaster

• PAHO has established a regional response team for
  emergencies and disasters.
• PAHO has consolidated the experience gained in
  the countries in the Region by producing guides
  and technical materials for comprehensive
  management of emergencies and disasters in the
  field of health
• PAHO assists the Member States by mobilizing
  funds and response teams and providing technical
  expertise.

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Actions on environmental deterioration and global
climate change

• 28 of the Member States had national policies,
  and nearly 55 had national plans for solid waste
  management
• PAHO organized a series of five-day training
  workshops to create regional awareness and plans
  to control use of fossil fuels in dwellings
• A regional publication has been prepared on the
  effects of air pollution
• PAHO/WHO and the World Meteorological
  Organization sponsored a conference in San Jose,
  Costa Rica, on August 2007 to study the potential
  consequences of climate change in the Americas
• PAHO/WHO has designated World Health Day 2008 as
  Health and Climate Change

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Actions Inter-American System strength

• Since 2003 PAHO has hosted the Inter American
  Coalition for the Prevention of Violence (IACPV)
• PAHO/WHO and the IACPV have implemented in
  selected municipalities an intersectorial-based
  model aimed to solve the problem of inconsistent
  information on deaths from intentional or
  unintentional injuries
• PAHO/WHO has implemented the Youth Development
  and Violence prevention project in Nicaragua,
  Honduras, El Salvador, Colombia, Peru and
  Argentina. The Youth Development and Violence
  prevention strengthen the networks from
  government and nongovernmental organizations.

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Thank you!