Dear Colleagues,

The continuing fast mobility of people and goods can threaten population health by spreading infectious disease from country-to-country and dispersing vectors and pathogens. People and goods are transferred by ships and enter countries through ports. The International Health Regulations (IHR) require countries to develop and maintain certain capacities at designated points of entry to be available both at all times and to respond to events that may constitute a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). The core capacities to be available at all times include medical assessment and care, staff, equipment, personnel and means to transport ill travelers; trained personnel for inspection of conveyances; ensuring a safe environment (e.g., water, food, waste); and trained staff and a program for vector control. Capacity requirements to be available for responding to an event that may constitute a PHEIC include, among others, a public health emergency contingency plan and the application of measures to disinsect, disinfect, and decontaminate baggage, cargo, goods, implement entry and exit screening, etc. Maritime transport can impact population health. Ships (cargo/passenger) have provided the setting for person-to-person or animal-to-human disease transmission; ships have been the source of infection (contaminated food/surfaces/water), transmitted infections or vectors internationally and affected the quality of food products carried. Ship environment influences crew health.

This Special Issue will collate work produced in the framework of the EU SHIPSAN ACT Joint Action. The general objective of this action was to strengthen an integrated strategy and sustainable mechanisms at the EU level for safeguarding the health of travelers and crew of passenger and cargo ships and preventing the cross-border spread of diseases. Actions focused on prevention, identification, assessment and link with existing mechanisms for response coordination to serious cross border threats to health caused by communicable diseases, chemical, biological and radiological agents, the impact on maritime transport of health threats due to biological, chemical and radiological agents, including communicable diseases.

Acronym: SHIPSAN ACT http://www.shipsan.eu/
(Joint Action Agreement Number: 2012 2103)
Financed by the European Commission Second Programme of Community Action in
the Field of Health 2008-2013, grant number [2012 2103], Start date:
01/02/2013, End date: 01/11/2016

Topics
1. Core capacities at points of entry-ports as per International Health
Regulations 2005
2. Health and hygiene in maritime transport sector
3. Maritime and occupational health
4. Preparedness and response to cross-border health threats in the
maritime transport sector

Prof. Christos Hadjichristodoulou
Guest Editor

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