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Communicable diseases in New Zealand

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The International Health Regulations 2005 and Yellow Fever Vaccination

New Zealand is bound without reservation to the The International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005. The IHR is an international treaty for the protection of global public health and it requires States Parties to develop core capacities to enable the timely identification, reporting and proportionate responses to risks to the public health.

Under Annex 7 of the IHR " Requirements concerning vaccination or prophylaxis for specific diseases"

"(f) States Parties shall designate specific yellow fever vaccination centres within their territories in order to ensure the quality and safety of the procedures and materials employed."

To give effect to this in the New Zealand context, New Zealand approves both Yellow Fever vaccinators and Yellow Fever vaccinating centres as IHR vaccinators and IHR vaccinating centres.

IHR vaccinators and vaccinating centres act under the authority of the Government of New Zealand and as such contribute to fulfilling New Zealand's treaty obligations under the IHR to protect global public health. IHR vaccinating centres and vaccinators have specific standards of practice and are audited against that standard regularly. Approval to become an IHR vaccinator is restricted to medical practitioners, but not only General Practitioners. Certain competencies and knowledge are required of Yellow Fever vaccinators, and the premises which are to be Yellow Fever vaccinating centres must have particular equipment and meet cold chain requirements.

Information about the policy, process of approval, standards of practice and audit are contained in the document "IHR Vaccination in New Zealand".

Other sources of information include the World Health Organization website, and the following legislation which can be accessed through www.legislation.govt.nz.

Health Act 1956
Health (Infectious and Notifiable Disease) Regulations 1966
Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003
Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994
Medicines Act 1981

Practitioners are welcome to contact their local Medical Officer of Health for more information.

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    List of notifiable diseases


    List of notifiable diseases (last updated July 2005)

    Page last updated: 9 June 2009

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