Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)
- A PHEIC is defined in the International Health Regulations (IHR, 2005) as, “an extraordinary event which is determined to constitute a public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease and to potentially require a coordinated international response”. This definition implies a situation that is:
- Serious, sudden, unusual or unexpected;
- Carries implications for public health beyond the affected State’s national border; and
- May require immediate international action.
- The declaration of PHEIC would lead to boosting public health measures, funding and resources to prevent and reduce global spread.
- The WHO has declared five global emergencies in the past decade, including the Ebola epidemic
