The World Health Organization International Health Regulations Emergency Committee

The World Health Organization International Health Regulations Emergency Committee, or WHO IHR Emergency Committee, is an operating committee under the legally binding of the International Health Regulations. The aims of this committee are, when in health emergencies such as diseases spreading on an international scale, they are going to:

1. provide a platform amongst nations to collaborate with necessary aids,
2. avoid unnecessary travel and trade.

This committee is made up of experts in the field of international health care from all around the globe. In the early years, this committee only operated when severe infectious diseases spreading incidents happened. However, after 2007, this committee expands its concern toward any international health emergencies, not only international spreading diseases but also public health emergencies such as diseases caused by biological or toxin weapons. Recent actions include:

1. 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic,
2. 2014 setbacks in polio global eradication efforts,
3. 2014 west Africa Ebola epidemic,
4. 2016 Zika virus outbreak.