Conference organized by:

Center for Biosecurity of UPMC

World Health Organization Communicable Disease Surveillance and Response Office

Conference sponsored by:

The Nuclear Threat Initiative

Preparedness for Deliberate Epidemics
Presenter: Dr. Ottorino Cosivi

slide thumbnails     slide show

The World Health Organization (WHO) authored Health Aspects of Chemical and Biological Weapons in the Biological and Chemical Weapons Conventions of 1972 and 1993. These documents include provisions for assistance in the event or threat of an attack. Although the United Nations has agencies that are responsible for monitoring and verifying a chemical or nuclear attack, [i.e., the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)], there is no similar organization to deal with a biological attack.

The WHO's role in such events, however, is constitutionally mandated, delineated in the newest version of the International Health Regulations, and clearly stated by the World Health Assembly. In accordance with that mandate, the WHO is pursuing a three-pronged effort: 1. strengthen global surveillance; 2. provide tools and support to strengthen national health systems; and 3. issue international guidance and technical information.

The overall objective of the WHO's efforts is to prepare member states to recognize, respond to, and manage the consequences of a deliberate epidemic. The WHO utilizes the Global Public Health Intelligence Network (GPHIN) to identify potential outbreaks, verify outbreaks, and assist in a member state's public health response. The recent SARS outbreaks have exercised this infrastructure; however, because they were not deliberate, the coordination and interaction between health and security agencies was not involved in WHO's response.

The WHO has launched a two-phase process. Phase 1, now completed, involved an overview of the risks for public health from deliberate epidemics and established an international network of scientists and institutions. Phase 2 will involve regional planning (through workshops) and exercising the in-country infrastructure, including the outreach to the international network. The WHO Office for National Epidemic Preparedness and Response (Lyon, France) is coordinating this effort. Examples of disease-specific networks and guidance documents, including risk assessment and preparedness assessment tools, can be found in the slide presentation.

Note: In the discussion that followed the presentation, Dr. Cosivi stated that there are no designated funds for this effort; it will be financed through grants and extra-budget contributions.

- Summary by Penny Hitchcock, D.V.M., M.S.

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