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WHO/PAHO Look at Public Health
Response to Biological and Chemical Weapons
The World Health Organization
has released the second edition of its publication “Health
Aspects of Biological and Chemical Weapons,” written
to guide member states on preparedness for and response to
the deliberate use of biological and chemical weapons. Among
the recommendations of the publication:
- Public health contingency plans addressing
a deliberate release of biological or chemical agents against
civilian populations should be prepared, consistent with
existing plans that address outbreaks of disease, natural
disasters, large-scale accidents, etc.
- Use standard principles of risk management
to assess the relative priority that should be accorded
to such releases in comparison with other dangers to public
health.
- Strengthen existing public health
infrastructure, particularly for public health surveillance
and response as a preparedness measure for this type of
emergency.
The WHO publication in
English can be consulted at www.who.int/csr/delibepidemics/biochemguide/en/index.html.
PAHO has just published the Spanish
language edition of this important publication and it is available
in full text on our web site www.paho.org/disasters
(click on Publications Catalog).
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