A new public health order for Africa's health security
07-Oct-17, The Lancet
On July 3, 2017, African heads of state and government issued a declaration and committed to accelerating implementation of the 2005 International Health Regulations (IHR) and tasked the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the African Union Commission (AUC), and WHO with supporting the venture.
%20EC-OIE.jpg "A new public health order for Africas health security (c) EC OIE")
Image: EC-OIE
The IHR is a global legal agreement that aims to prevent and respond to the spread of diseases to avoid their becoming international crises. The declaration should serve as a new African public health order in addressing health security and inequities on the continent.
The Ebola virus disease outbreak that started in March 2014, resulted in an estimated 11 000 deaths and US$3 billion in economic losses in west Africa.