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 05 July 2008 14:18 BST

Global effort needed to improve public health

Thursday, 23 Aug 2007 10:21
Global health requires an international effort, report states
International cooperation is needed to ensure global public health, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned.

Its report released today into the world's health warns that this cooperation is needed more than at any time in history to tackle new and emerging threats.

In response WHO is calling for all countries to implement the revised international health regulations and to cooperate over outbreak and surveillance of diseases.

Its report, World Health Report, A Safer Future, said that new diseases are spreading at an unprecedented rate.

New threats like HIV and Sars exist alongside centuries-old diseases like pandemic influenza and tuberculosis, it warns.

A combination of mutation, rising resistance to antimicrobial medicines and weak health systems are increasing the risk to people's health.

WHO's report blames a number of human factors on public health security, including inadequate investment in public health, unexpected policy changes (such as a decision to temporarily halt immunisation in Nigeria, which led to the re-emergence of polio cases) and antibiotic resistance.

"Given today's universal vulnerability to these threats, better security calls for global solidarity," said Dr Margaret Chan, WHO director-general.

"International public health security is both a collective aspiration and a mutual responsibility. The new watchwords are diplomacy, cooperation, transparency and preparedness."
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