Resolution V/10: Health surveillance systems for the Global Framework on Chemicals – For a Planet Free of Harm from Chemicals and Waste to prevent and protect human health from chemical exposure
The Conference,
Whereas World Health Assembly resolution WHA 76.17 on the impact of chemicals, waste and pollution on human health requests the Director General of the World Health Organization to support countries upon request, especially developing countries, in developing national or regional human biomonitoring programmes for chemicals of concern, through capacity-building and technology transfer on voluntary and mutually agreed terms and, in accordance with international obligations, to help identify potential risks in territories regarding population groups; to collect data to support the development of public policies; and to support the improvement of national health systems,
Considering the importance of implementing interventions to prevent and to provide for the early detection of exposure to chemicals and waste,
Mindful that more than half of countries worldwide do not have a poison centre, [1]
Acknowledging the World Health Organization guidelines for establishing a poison centre, [2] which provide information on services that may be offered by a poison centre and contain detailed practical information on planning and operating such centres,
Acknowledging also the role of poison centres, as described in the World Health Organization Chemicals Road Map, [3] to engage the health sector in the implementation of the Global Framework on Chemicals – For a Planet Free of Harm from Chemicals and Waste,
Noting that a poison centre is a specialized unit that provides advice to prevent exposure and support for risk reduction, education and training, research, alerts regarding chemical events, and diagnosis and management of poisoning,
Recognizing the need to address the lack of availability of antidotes to counter the toxic effects of chemical poisoning and the potential to collaborate regionally on such issues,
Considering the value of poison centres to the health and safety of individuals, communities and institutions as well as their broader role in contributing to the sound management of chemicals and waste,
Considering also the important role that poison centres play in the development of public health policies relevant to multisectoral approaches to the sound management of chemicals and waste by providing a harmonized and comparable system for the collection and registration of information on cases of chronic and acute chemical exposure and for surveillance,
Recognizing the role of surveillance systems for human health as part of integrated national chemicals and waste management systems, [4]
1. Encourages the strengthening of institutional linkages between poison centres and health ministries/authorities and other government agencies, as appropriate, to ensure the sound management of chemicals;
2. Encourages stakeholders to establish and strengthen surveillance systems as part of integrated national chemicals and waste management systems to assist in implementation of the Global Framework on Chemicals – For a Planet Free of Harm from Chemicals and Waste;
3. Encourages the development of a proposal for the creation of a global network for the collection of health surveillance data and for the analysis of trends regarding selected chemicals of concern;
4. Invites the World Health Assembly to consider the present resolution during its consideration of the updated Chemicals Road Map at its seventy-eighth session, and to support its implementation, as appropriate.
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[1] World Health Organization Global Health Observatory, “World directory of poisons centres”, available at https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/topics/indicator-groups/poison-control-and-unintentional-poisoning
[2] World Health Organization, Guidelines for Establishing a Poison Centre (2020), available at https://who.int/publications/i/item/9789240009523
[3] Available at https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-FWC-PHE-EPE-17.03.
[4] See World Health Organization, Guidelines for Establishing a Poison Centre, chaps. 5 (on toxicovigilance and prevention of poisoning) and 8 (on guidelines for poison centres).