One Health in the framework of International Health Regulations and response to foodborne and zoonotic events

31 May–1 June 2016, Bucharest, Romania

WHO/Europe and the WHO Country Office in Romania will hold a national and multisectoral workshop to build national capacity in Romania on implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR) in a food safety and zoonotic disease context, with emphasis on effective risk communication.

The workshop will bring together national experts from the public health, food safety and veterinary sectors. With regard to zoonoses and foodborne disease, focus will be on IHR implementation, which seeks to prevent, protect against, and control the international spread of disease, helping to avoid unnecessary interference with international traffic and trade. It also aims to strengthen reporting, information sharing and consultation across sectors.

Throughout the world, foodborne diseases represent a considerable public health burden and challenge. National experts will share their progress on food safety risk assessment and risk management, discussing past foodborne events in Romania. International speakers will come from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the World Organisation for Animal Health and WHO.

Participants will engage in group work to strengthen risk communication, intersectoral/international collaboration and response preparedness in regard to foodborne and zoonotic diseases. The workshop will conclude with a discussion about priority areas, actions needed and next steps at the national level.

About IHR

Today's highly mobile and interconnected world provides myriad opportunities for the rapid spread of disease, including epidemic-prone and foodborne diseases, environmental disasters, and toxic chemical and radio-nuclear accidents. It is critical that all countries have the capacity to detect, assess, and respond to public health events. The IHR are intended to help the international community prevent and respond to acute public health risks, while limiting interference with international traffic and trade.