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 The purpose of the International
Health Regulations is to ensure the maximum security against the
international spread of diseases with minimum interference with world
traffic. Its origins date back to the mid-19th century when cholera epidemics
overran Europe between 1830 and 1847. These epidemics were catalysts for
intensive infectious disease diplomacy and multilateral cooperation in public
health, starting with the first International Sanitary Conference in Paris in
1851.
Between
1851 and the end of the century, eight conventions on the spread of
infectious diseases across national boundaries were negotiated. The beginning
of the 20th century saw multilateral institutions established to enforce
these conventions, including the precursor of the present Pan American Health
Organization (PAHO).
In
1948, the WHO constitution came into force and in 1951 WHO Member States
adopted the International Sanitary Regulations, which were renamed the
International Health Regulations in 1969. The regulations were modified in
1973 and 1981. The IHR were originally intended to help monitor and control
six serious infectious diseases: cholera, plague, yellow fever, smallpox,
relapsing fever and typhus. Today, only cholera, plague and yellow fever are notifiable diseases.
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