“In accordance with the decision by the Government of Russian Federation, in 2015-2016 Russia will provide assistance to the partner states regarding the introduction and long-term implementation of the WHO International Health Regulations – a unique international mechanism which is of crucial importance for addressing the public health threats like the current outbreak of Ebola fever at the global level,” Rospotrebnadzor said in a statement.
The Russian health watchdog stressed that not all countries have the managerial and technical experience to introduce the IHR on their own, prompting Russian authorities to fund a two-year-long assistance program.
The program is yet another step in Russia’s ongoing efforts to help its partner countries, located mainly in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, to prevent and fight infectious diseases. In 2014, Moscow approved donating up to $2 million to the WHO to assist countries introduce the IHR in 2014-2015.
The IHR is a legally-binding agreement that sets a framework for coordinating efforts against public health emergencies.
