Message from Dr Henk Bekedam, WHO Representative in China

Message from Dr Henk Bekedam, WHO Representative in China

April 02, 2007

World Health Day:  International Health Security - 7 April
2007


    BEIJING, April 2 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- This year's
World Health Day theme is an important reminder that many
health threats do not respect national borders and that all
countries are partners in the fight for international health
security.

    China has been actively responding to the growing
interdependence of health and security.

    Emerging communicable diseases such as SARS and avian
influenza have brought home the very real threats to
international security that health problems can pose. Other
threats to international health security include infectious
diseases such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, bioterrorism,
humanitarian emergencies, environmental damage and food
safety.

    For China and the rest of the world, SARS was a wake-up
call.  In recent years China has made genuine progress in
strengthening its capacity to deal with health security
threats.

    China has been building its communicable diseases
capacity and is continuing to develop effective systems for
communicable disease prevention, detection and response. 
China has been advancing the fight against avian influenza
by sharing viruses and information with the international
community. It has also made great progress responding to
communicable threats like tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.

    But health security challenges remain for all
countries.

    China's sizeable population and agriculture-based
industries mean that infectious diseases remain a
significant national and international threat. Some 75 per
cent of emerging diseases are zoonotic.  One of the key
measures for managing communicable diseases is improving
animal husbandry practices and implementing local and
national systems for surveillance and rapid response.

    WHO will continue to support China in fighting health
security threats.  WHO as an organization, including its
Headquarters in Geneva, the Regional Headquarters for the
West Pacific in Manila, and the China Country office, is
working closely to provide China with timely policy advice
and technical expertise.

    China has shown enormous commitment to strengthening
international health security.  We are sure it will
continue to do so in the future.  In that way, China will
greatly advance global public health.


    For further information, please contact:

     Joanna Brent
     Communications Team Leader
     WHO China
     Tel: [phone] ext 681 or [phone]