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Minimizing health risks at airports, ports and ground crossings

While international transport, travel and trade contribute to economic development and welfare of populations, they may also pose public health risks. Today’s high traffic at airports, ports and ground crossings can play a key role in the international spread of diseases through persons, conveyances and goods. 

Under the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005), Member States are requested to maintain public health measures and response capacity at designated airports, ports and ground crossings. This protects the health of travellers and the population, keeps ports, airports and ground crossings running, and ensures ships, aircrafts and ground transportation are in sanitary condition so that no unnecessary health-based restrictions are placed on international traffic and trade.

WHO supports Member States in putting into action event management and preparedness plans at points of entry and facilitates the implementation of appropriate measures in response to public health risks that do not impose unwarranted restrictions on travel and trade. We also produce, update, and disseminate technical guidance and training tools to support Member States in developing competencies to fulfill their IHR requirements at points of entry.

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List of ports and other information submitted by the States Parties concerning ports authorized to issue Ship Sanitation Certificates

under the International Health Regulations (2005)

All States Parties to the International Health Regulations 2005 (IHR 2005) are required to send to the World Health Organization a list of all ports authorized by the State Party (including authorized ports in all of its applicable administrative areas and territories) to issue the following Ship Sanitation Certificates (SSC): Ship sanitation control exemption certificates, Ship sanitation control certificates only, and Extensions to the ship sanitation certificates. This data of authorized ports and other information is comprised of information submitted by the States Parties to WHO. WHO publishes this information in accordance with the requirements of the IHR (2005). The data will be updated by WHO when additional information is received from the States Parties.

The model for a Ship Sanitation Control Certificate and Ship Sanitation Control Exemption Certificate may be found in Annex 3 of the International Health Regulations (2005).

It is an important tool for helping to prevent and control known public health risks and provides a common way to register and communicate events and measures taken on board. Valid certificates are issued at ports authorized by States Parties to issue such certificates. Two types of Ship Sanitation Certificates exist: ship sanitation control exemption certificates, and ship sanitation control certificates. A valid ship sanitation control exemption certificate can be extended by one month until the arrival of the ship in the port at which the ship inspection and necessary control measures can be performed and certificate can be received. The certificates are to be issued by competent authorities in accordance with the requirements in Article 39 of the International Health Regulations (2005) and are to be used only for authorized public health purposes.

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General

Designation of points of entry under the 
International Health Regulations (2005)

As provided by the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005), States Parties shall designate international airports and ports that shall develop the...

International health regulations (‎2005)‎: assessment tool for core capacity requirements at designated airports, ports and ground crossings

World Health Organization. (‎2009)‎. International health regulations (‎2005)‎: assessment tool for core capacity requirements...

Coordination of public health surveillance between points of entry and the national public health surveillance system

This guide aims to support competent authorities in charge of International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005) implementation in improving national capacities...

Vector surveillance and control at ports, airports, and ground crossings

In May 2005, the Fifty-eighth World Health Assembly adopted new International Health Regulations (IHR), which came into force in July 2007. One of the...

Aviation

WHO aircraft disinsection methods and procedures, 2nd ed

This document describes the latest methods and procedures for disinsection of internal areas of passenger, military and cargo aircraft to prevent international...

Handbook for the Management of Public Health Events in Air Transport

A wide variety of health events ranging in severity may occur related to air transport, requiring different responses or, perhaps, no response at all....

Aircraft disinsection insecticides

International air travel carries the risk of inadvertent transport of mosquito vectors (and the diseases they transmit) into countries where they were...

Guide to hygiene and sanitation in aviation, 3rd edition

The guide addresses water and cleaning and disinfection of facilities with the ultimate goal of assisting all types of airport and aircraft operators and...

Maritime

Handbook for management of public health events on board ships

With the adoption of the International Health Regulations (IHR) by the World Health Assembly in May 2005, States Parties agreed to develop, strengthen...

Guide to ship sanitation, 3rd edition

The primary aim of the revised Guide to ship sanitation is to present the public health significance of ships in terms of disease and to highlight the...

Handbook for inspection of ships and issuance of ship sanitation certificates

This handbook is intended to be used as reference material for port health officers, regulators, ship operators and other competent authorities in charge...

Ground crossing

Syndromic entry and exit screening for epidemic-prone diseases of travellers at ground crossings

Syndromic entry and exit screening for fever and/or respiratory, gastrointestinal or haemorrhagic fever symptoms, using one or more methods such as temperature...

Handbook for public health capacity-building at ground crossings and cross-border collaboration

This handbook follows a comprehensive approach to health system strengthening at borders in order to support IHR national focal points and other national...