Strengthening the Monitoring of States' Compliance with the International Health Regulations

The current article aims to undertake a retrospective and a prospective analysis of compliance monitoring under the International Health Regulations of 2005 (IHR (2005)). First, different theoretical understandings of compliance are discussed. The study then focuses on a `triad' of obligations under the IHR (2005): 1) to timely and effectively notify the World Health Organization (WHO) of events that may constitute public health emergencies of international concern (Article 6 IHR); 2) to notify and justify additional health measures restricting international travel and trade in response to events elsewhere (Article 43 IHR); and, 3) to build minimum core capacities required to conduct pandemic surveillance and response activities (Article 5 IHR). The retrospective analysis revisits the fate of past and current mechanisms of compliance monitoring under the IHR (2005). Lastly, a prospective formulation builds upon the elements of the retrospective analysis, sketching a possible way forward for monitoring of compliance with the IHR (2005).