HRI: United Nations Arts Initiative
MILLENNIUM MEDICINE PROJECT

Emerging Infectious Diseases: 6 July 2010

Demographic access to basic surgical services is a reference point for our capacity to address challenges associated emerging infectious diseases.  In geographic regions where public health infrastructure is essentially nonexistent, effective surveillance, containment and control of high consequence pathogens [1,2] presents a logistical challenge regarding WHO/OIE notification of animal and human diseases. [3]

The evolution of high consequence pathogen that presents a threat to the international community, can spread across the globe in a 12-24 hour period via air travel.  In the case of SARs, [4] intelligence community assessments outlined a potential worst case scenario where world trade and travel could be shut down for upwards of 12-24 months. [5]

According to the OIE report "Notification of animal and human diseases - Global legal basis," [6] we read.

The successful control of epidemics - whether they are diseases of humans or animals - depends on rapid access to complete information on the national disease situation. People and goods now travel long distances in a very short time, thus creating enormous challenges that demand efficiency and speed of response on the part of both public health and veterinary authorities.

To ensure a timely response, diseases must be immediately notified in a transparent manner. It is under the mandates of the two global organisations responsible for the dissemination of disease information, i.e. the World Health Organization (WHO) for diseases of humans and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) for animal diseases, including zoonoses (animal diseases transmissible to humans).

The United Nations Arts Initiative [7] is working with the global "One Health Initiative," [8] Humanitarian Resource Institute [9] and Pathobiologics International [10] to close these gaps via collaboration between the human medical and veterinary professions in every United Nations member country. [10]

References:

1. The Future of Biodetection Technologies:  Los Alamos National Laboratory, September 26-27, 2006. Url: http://www.lanl.gov/bioscience/biodetection.shtml
2. "DNA-based Detection Technologies: Stephen M. Apatow, Humanitarian Resource Institute. Pathobiologics International. Url: http://www.pathobiologics.org/btac/lanl/bioscience/ref/SMABDS_Final.pdf
3. International Health Regulation Online Course: Law: Humanitarian Resource Institute, Pathobiologics International. Url: http://www.humanitarian.net/university/ceu/ihrc1
4. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS): Biodefense and Epidemiological Tracking,  Humanitarian Resource Institute, Pathobiologics International. Url: http://www.humanitarian.net/biodefense/sars_biodefense.html
5. SARS: Down But Still a Threat: National Intelligence Council, August 2003. Url: http://www.dni.gov/nic/PDF_GIF_otherprod/sarsthreat/56797book.pdf
6. OIE:  Notification of animal and human diseases - Global legal basis. Url: http://www.oie.int/eng/session2010/Notification%20EN/notification-EN.pdf
7. United Nations Arts Initiative: Url: http://www.unarts.org
8. One Health Initiative: Url: http://www.onehealthinitiative.com
9. Humanitarian Resource Institute: Url: http://www.humanitarian.net
10. Pathobiologics International: Url: http://www.pathobiologics.org
10. HRI:UNArts - One World, One Health: World Veterinary Day 2010: Humanitarian Resource Institute, 23 April 2010. Url: http://www.unarts.org/news/aiie_wvetday4241010.html