African journal of health sciences
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The HIV/AIDS pandemic can truly be described as an infectious disease that has recently emerged and judging from its rapid global spread, it leaves no doubt that it is one of the greatest health threats mankind has to contend with. This pandemic has alerted and stimulated the international scientific community to seriously reflect oa other recent episodes of emerging and re-emerging infections. The examples that have recently been observed and addressed include new emerging infectious diseases, unusual manifestations of previously known diseases and unusual eruption of known diseases in unusual geographic foci or unusual altitudes. ⋯ Setting up rapid reaction forces to respond to specific outbreak situations in order to control the spread of an emerging infectious disease. In this area of rapid trans not continental travel, the world is viewed as a "global village" and the relevance of the current International Sanitary Regulations requires a re-appraisal. Global sensitisation of the international community to the importance of this programme will ease and facilitate efforts at mobilisation resources needed and the training of the manpower required to make the above activities operational on a global scale.