Establishing early warning systems for water-related diseases

Surveillance of water-related disease and the establishment of early-warning systems and response systems are important aspects of the prevention, control and reduction of water-related disease.

Article 8 of the Draft Protocol on Water and Health (1999) to the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (1992), states: (1) The Parties shall each, as appropriate, ensure that: (a) Comprehensive national and/or local surveillance and early-warning systems are established, improved or maintained which will: (i) Identify outbreaks or incidents of water-related disease or significant threats of such outbreaks or incidents, including those resulting from water-pollution incidents or extreme weather events; (ii) Give prompt and clear notification to the relevant public authorities about such outbreaks, incidents or threats; (iii) In the event of any imminent threat to public health from water-related disease, disseminate to members of the public who may be affected all information that is held by a public authority and that could help the public to prevent or mitigate harm; (iv) Make recommendations to the relevant public authorities and, where appropriate, to the public about preventive and remedial actions; (b) Comprehensive national and local contingency plans for responses to such outbreaks, incidents and risks are properly prepared in due time; (c) The relevant public authorities have the necessary capacity to respond to such outbreaks, incidents or risks in accordance with the relevant contingency plan. (2) Surveillance and early-warning systems, contingency plans and response capacities in relation to water-related disease may be combined with those in relation to other matters. (3) Within three years of becoming a Party, each Party shall have established the surveillance and early-warning systems, contingency plans and response capacities referred to in paragraph 1 of this article.