Stakeholder’s meet preps Namibia’s public health for emergencies of international stature
An International Health Regulation (IHR) Stakeholder’s meeting was held earlier this month which was a follow up to a Joint External Evaluation to determine Namibia’s readiness to prevent, detect and rapidly respond to public health threats, whether they are naturally occurring deliberate or accidental.
The World Health Organization in Namibia said that strengthening the IHR core capacities will enable Namibia to prevent, detect rapidly respond to any public health emergency such as disease outbreaks, chemical and radiological hazards.
They said these implies strengthening surveillance and border crossing point, establishing proper isolation facilities, antimicrobial resistance monitoring, and response capacity. And for them to realize this a team of experts from WHO will visit Namibia in September 2017 to assist in the development of the National Action Plan for Health Security.
Dr Desta Tiruneh, World Health Organization (WHO) Namibia Disease Prevention and Control Officer, said the importance of building the countries core capacities in line with IHR and that the envisaged implementation plan is not only confined to the Ministry of Health and Social Services but the country as a whole.
“IHR is not limited to specific diseases but applies to the new and ever emerging public health risk and the National Action Plan for Health Security is intended to ensure adequate capacity to prevent, detect and mount rapid response to any Public Health Emergency f International concern,” he added.
The Ministry of Health and Social Services and The World Health Organization held the IHR Stakeholders Meeting jointly.
