By Xinhua
Geneva : The revised International Health Regulations (IHR) will formally enter into force on Friday, aiming to make the world more secure from health threats.
    The Regulations consist of a comprehensive and tested set of rules and procedures for tackling threats to global health. They were agreed by the World Health Assembly in 2005 and considered as a major step forward in international public health security.
    "Today, the greatest threat to international public health security would be an influenza pandemic…implementation of the IHR will help the world to be better prepared for the possibility of a pandemic," said Dr. Margaret Chan, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), in a statement.
    The Regulations establish an agreed framework of commitments and responsibilities for states and for WHO to invest in limiting the international spread of epidemics and other public health emergencies while minimizing disruption to travel, trade and economies.
    Under the revised IHR, states will be required to report all events that could result in public health emergencies of international concern, including those caused by chemical agents, radioactive materials and contaminated food.
    "Implementing the IHR is a collective responsibility and depends on the capacity of all countries to fulfill the new requirements," said Dr. David Heymann, WHO assistant director-general for communicable diseases.
    "WHO will help countries to strengthen the necessary capacities to fully implement the Regulations. This is our responsibility and we expect that the entire international community is committed to the same goal of improving international public health security," Heymann said.
    According to a WHO statement, the agency will hold its first exercise on Friday to sharpen its preparedness under the terms of the revised IHR. The exercise will verify new procedures for receiving, analyzing and responding to information about potential public health emergencies.
    The exercise will also ensure the effectiveness of policy direction and coordination, information management and risk assessment capacity and communications between the Regional and Country Offices and Headquarters of WHO.
    The exercise is the first of a series meant to test and improve the mechanisms in place in and between member states and at different levels of WHO.
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