The International Health Regulations (IHR) have been severely tested by the COVID- 19 pandemic. Recent reviews have identified a number of gaps and challenges and proposed improvement, but the Regulations should be analysed in their context as a constitutional instrument deeply embedded in WHO’s governance to better understand their systemic strengths and weaknesses. The IHR embody a managerial model of health governance that aims at depoliticizing international response to health emergencies and coordinating it on the basis of expertise and persuasion. The political crisis accompanying the COVID-19 pandemic, however, reveals the need for a different and more political approach that injects states in the governance of the IHR following models tested by other international agreements. It also highlights the need for a more effective framework of cooperation and coordination that builds upon WHO’s practice of inter-institutional cooperation but complements it through institutional consultation structures involving directly states parties.

The International Health Regulations as a WHO Constitutional Instrument: Internal Governance and Regime Interactions

Negri, Stefania
2022-01-01

Abstract

The International Health Regulations (IHR) have been severely tested by the COVID- 19 pandemic. Recent reviews have identified a number of gaps and challenges and proposed improvement, but the Regulations should be analysed in their context as a constitutional instrument deeply embedded in WHO’s governance to better understand their systemic strengths and weaknesses. The IHR embody a managerial model of health governance that aims at depoliticizing international response to health emergencies and coordinating it on the basis of expertise and persuasion. The political crisis accompanying the COVID-19 pandemic, however, reveals the need for a different and more political approach that injects states in the governance of the IHR following models tested by other international agreements. It also highlights the need for a more effective framework of cooperation and coordination that builds upon WHO’s practice of inter-institutional cooperation but complements it through institutional consultation structures involving directly states parties.
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11386/4816021
 Attenzione

Attenzione! I dati visualizzati non sono stati sottoposti a validazione da parte dell'ateneo

Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 0
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 1
social impact