The International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) is a set of international agreements which binds 194 States Parties, including 193 WHO Member States, to develop specific core capacities to detect and respond to public health threats including Public Health Emergencies of International Concern (PHEIC). The IHR adopts an all-hazards approach to responding to these threats which may include chemical and radio nuclear incidents.
In an effort to assist OECs countries in developing their capacity to detect and respond to these incidents, the Barbados Office of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has secured the technical support from the Ministry of Health, French West Indies.
As a result of this initiative, the Health Disaster Coordinator for the French Caribbean Islands and a representative from the PAHO Office of Caribbean Programme Coordination were in-country to lead a national consultation to identify areas of work to strengthen national capacity to detect and respond to chemical and radio nuclear incidents. The consultation was held on December 8th and 9th and attendees included representatives from the Departments of Health, Health Protection, Disaster Management, and Environment; the Health Authority of Anguilla and Anguilla Fire and Rescue.
– Press Release
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
