Public Health Emergency of International Concern

Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) is a formal declaration by the World Health Organization (WHO) of "an extraordinary event which is determined to constitute a public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease and to potentially require a coordinated international response", formulated when a situation arises that is "serious, sudden, unusual or unexpected", which "carries implications for public health beyond the affected State’s national border" and "may require immediate international action".

History

The term PHEIC was first defined in the 2005 revision of the International Health Regulations (IHR), which is legally binding on all WHO member states. The regulations stipulate that the Director-General of the WHO shall declare a PHEIC after considering the factors and risks involved, the advice of the IHR Emergency Committee, and the comments or views of States Parties.

Declarations

As of 2021, there have been six PHEIC declarations since the enactment of the IHR in 2005: the 2009 H1N1 (or swine flu) pandemic, the 2014 polio declaration, the 2014 outbreak of Ebola in Western Africa, the 2015-16 Zika virus epidemic, the 2018-20 Kivu Ebola epidemic, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Criteria

The criteria for a PHEIC declaration are based on the following factors: the seriousness of the public health impact, the unusual or unexpected nature of the event, the risk of international spread, and the risk of international travel or trade restrictions.

Response

Upon declaration of a PHEIC, the WHO is empowered to issue temporary recommendations, including health measures to be implemented by the State Party experiencing the PHEIC, or by other States Parties, to prevent or reduce the international spread of disease and avoid unnecessary interference with international traffic.

See also

• Global health
• Pandemic
• Epidemic

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