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. This concept is rooted in the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005), which is a legally binding agreement involving 196 countries to build the capability to detect and report potential public health emergencies worldwide.

Definition and Criteria

A PHEIC is defined in the IHR (2005) as “an extraordinary event which is determined, as provided in these Regulations: (i) to constitute a public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease; and (ii) to potentially require a coordinated international response.” The decision to declare a PHEIC is made by the WHO Director-General and is based on the advice of an Emergency Committee, which is composed of international experts in public health, epidemiology, infectious diseases, and related fields.

The criteria for declaring a PHEIC include:

• The seriousness of the public health impact of the event;
• The unusual or unexpected nature of the event;
• The risk of international spread of the disease;
• The risk of interference with international traffic.

History and Examples

The concept of a PHEIC was introduced in the 2005 revision of the International Health Regulations, which came into force in 2007. Since then, several events have been declared as PHEICs, including the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, the 2014 polio declaration, the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the 2016 Zika virus epidemic, and the 2019-2020 COVID-19 pandemic.

Response and Implications

When a PHEIC is declared, the WHO provides temporary recommendations to countries to prevent or reduce the international spread of disease, while avoiding unnecessary interference with international traffic and trade. These recommendations may include health measures to be implemented by countries, such as screening at borders, information to be provided to travelers, and quarantine measures.

The declaration of a PHEIC also mobilizes international resources and expertise to support the affected countries, and it increases the global awareness and political commitment to control the outbreak.

Challenges and Criticisms

The PHEIC mechanism has faced challenges and criticisms, including delays in declaration, political considerations influencing the decision-making process, and the adequacy of the international response. There have also been discussions about the need to improve the global health emergency response framework, including better funding mechanisms, strengthening health systems in vulnerable countries, and ensuring equitable access to medical countermeasures.

See Also

• Epidemic
• Pandemic
• World Health Organization
• International Health Regulations