Regional Infectious Disease Surveillance Networks and their Potential to Facilitate the Implementation of the International Health Regulations
The International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005 present a challenge and opportunity for global surveillance and control of infectious diseases. This article examines the opportunity for regional networks to address this challenge. Two regional infectious disease surveillance networks, established in the Mekong Basin and the Middle East, are presented as case studies. The public-private partnerships in the networks have led to an upgrade in infectious disease surveillance systems in capacity building, purchasing technology equipment, sharing of information, and development of preparedness plans in combating avian influenza. These regional networks have become an appropriate infrastructure for the implementation of the IHR 2005.
aDepartment of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, BOX 357236, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
bDepartment of Health Services, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, BOX 357236, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
cRAND Corporation, 1200 South Hayes Street, Arlington, VA 22201-5050, USA
dCommunity-Oriented Public Health Practice, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, BOX 357236, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
eBureau of Epidemiology and International Health Regulation Focal Point, Department of Diseases Control, Ministry of Public Health, Tivanonda Road, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
fOffice of Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Public Health, Tiwanond Road, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand
gGlobal Health and Security Initiative, NTI, 1747 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, 7th Floor, Washington, DC 20006, USA
hMinistry of Health, No 151-153 Kampuchea Krom Boulevard, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
iMinistry of Health and Braun School of Public Health, Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, POB 12272, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
Corresponding author. University of Washington, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Departments of Epidemiology and Health Services, BOX 357236, Seattle, WA 98195.
Work described in this paper is supported by the Governments of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, China, the Palestinian Authority, Jordan, and Israel. Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Emerging Infections Network (APEC EINet) is supported by the APEC Secretariat and the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC); AMK is Director of APEC EINet; HMF and YA are employed by this project. Project support for Mekong Basin Disease Surveillance and Middle East Consortium on Infectious Disease Surveillance is provided by Global Health and Security Initiative (GHSI). TT is GHSI Director; MM is employed by RAND Corporation, which carried out regional tabletop activities funded by GHSI and the CDC.
ABSTRACT