Presentation for the Minister of Health oPT

1. IHR IN PALESTINE
Progress and a way forward for building core
IHR capacities
V. Harutyunyan M.D.

2. IHR at a glance
 International agreement that is legally binding on 194
countries, including all WHO member countries
 One of only two legally binding agreements endorsed by the
WHA
 Palestinian MoH applied to be recognized as a signatory to IHR
on 25th of January 2010
 Important for the Palestinian public health security and state
building
 Purpose:
to prevent, protect against, control and provide a public health
response to the international spread of disease
 Adopted by World Health Assembly: May 2005
 Came into force: June 15, 2007

3. Key Palestine’s obligations
 Designate and establish a National IHR Focal Point
 Assess core capacities and develop action plan to build
them to ensure full compliance with the IHR requirements
 Develop, strengthen and maintain, the capacity to
detect, assess, notify (within 24h) and respond to events
that have the potential to become public health
emergencies of international concern
 Implement public health measures recommended by the
Director General, WHO

4. National Focal Point
 The national centre for communications with WHO On a
24/7 basis (by telephone, fax, email) NOT an individual
person
Accessible 24/7 for communication with WHO and domestic
partners
Urgent communications with WHO IHR contact points
Disseminating information to, and consolidating input from, relevant
domestic sectors
 Potential additional tasks as determined by State: Risk
assessment, coordinated response etc.

5. IHR implementation timelines
Timeline
15 June 2007 2009 2012 2014 2016
Planning Implementation
2 years + 3 + (2) + (up to 2)
"As soon as possible but no later than five years from entry into force"
Countries are mandated to asses their progress on development of IHR capacities and if
necessary submit formal request for extension to WHO with a justified need and an
implementation plan no later than 15 June 2012

6. IHR core capacities
1. National legislation, policy and financing
2. Coordination and NFP communications
3. Surveillance
4. Response
5. Preparedness
6. Risk communication
7. Human resources
8. Laboratory

7. IHR core capacities
(preparedness at points of entry and IHR hazards)
• Points of Entry
• Zoonotic events
• Food Safety
• Chemical events
• Radiation emergencies

8. Palestine IHR capacities
(informal assessment by the MoH and WHO)
• Structured
• Small group MoH/WHO
• Levels of development of some of the core capacities may
have been overestimated as documented evidence of
availability of the core capacities was not checked

9. Palestine IHR capacities
(Overall score 24%)
0% 0%
50%
31%
0%
75%
0%
33%
0%
100%
67%
0% 0%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%

10. Palestine IHR capacities
(ProposedActivities)
• Develop clear, specific mandate and functions for the
Palestine’s IHR NFP (ToR, JD)
• Ensure that Palestine’s IHR NFP has adequate capacity
to fulfill its functions
• Form a multi-sectoral, multidisciplinary committee to
assess Palestine’s IHR core capacities and develop
action plan for IHR capacity building in 2012-14
• Allocate a budget to support Palestine’s IHR NFP and
multidisciplinary committee’s activities

11. Palestine IHR capacities
(ProposedActivities-continued)
• Conduct formal assessment of the Palestine’s IHR
relevant public health capacities
• Develop plan of action to ensure that the core capacities
required by the IHR are present and functioning by 2014
• Apply to WHO for extension of the deadline for achieving
IHR capacities in Palestine (by 15th of June 2012)