History of Port health

Question 1

What are the International Health Regulations?

Answer 1

The IHR 2005 is an international law which helps countries to work together to save lives and livelihoods caused by the international spread of diseases and other health risks through international travels

Question 2

What does the International Health Regulations aim to do?

Answer 2

The IHR aim to prevent, protect against, control and respond to the international spread of disease while avoiding unnecessary interference with international traffic and trade

Question 3

Give the evolution of the IHR from the cholera epidemics in Europe between 1830 and 1847 to the detention of ships, crew, passengers and cargo for forty (40) days as mode of quarantine.

Answer 3

The cholera epidemics that overran Europe between 1830 and 1847 led to the first international sanitary conference in Paris in 1851

Massive cholera outbreak in Europe until 1851 was beyond control.
Twelve-member health experts volunteered to come together in Paris to fight the outbreak.

That conference conceived the document code-named International Sanitary Regulations (ISR).

In the olden days, a detention of ships, crew, passengers and cargo for forty (40) days as mode of quarantine.

Question 4

Detail the evolution of International Health Regulation from the quarantine to the time IHR 1969 was amended.

Answer 4

This (quarantine) remained for almost a century against the spread of noticeable diseases like cholera, plaque, smallpox, yellow fever, typhus and relapsing fevers.

After the establishment of United Nations (1944) and subsequent formation of World Health Organization (1948).

In 1948, the WHO Constitution entered into force and in 1951 WHO Member States adopted the International Sanitary Regulations of 1851.

The 1951 SR was replaced and renamed International Health Regulations (1969)
The IHR1969 were amended in 1973 and 1981