European Web-Based Platform for Recording International Health Regulations Ship Sanitation Certificates: Results and Perspectives

Varvara A. Mouchtouri, Diederik Van Reusel, Nikolaos Bitsolas, Antonis Katsioulis, Raf Van den Bogaert, Björn Helewaut, Inge Steenhout, Dion Damman, Miguel Dávila Cornejo, Christos Hadjichristodoulou and The EU SHIPSAN ACT Joint Action Partnership
Additional contact information
Varvara A. Mouchtouri: Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa 41222, Greece
Diederik Van Reusel: Seaport Cell, 2018 Antwerp, Belgium
Nikolaos Bitsolas: Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa 41222, Greece
Antonis Katsioulis: Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa 41222, Greece
Raf Van den Bogaert: Seaport Cell, 2018 Antwerp, Belgium
Björn Helewaut: Seaport Cell, 2018 Antwerp, Belgium
Inge Steenhout: Seaport Cell, 2018 Antwerp, Belgium
Dion Damman: Federal Environmental Inspection (Biocides and Pesticides, Dangerous Products), Federal Public Services Health, Safety of the Food Chain and Environment, Victor Hortaplein 40/10, 1060 Brussel, Belgium
Miguel Dávila Cornejo: Health Control Unit Deputy Directorate General of Foreign Health Directorate General for Public Health, Quality and Innovation Ministry of Health, Consumption and Social Welfare, Paseo del Prado 18-20, 28014 Madrid, Spain
Christos Hadjichristodoulou: Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa 41222, Greece
The EU SHIPSAN ACT Joint Action Partnership: Author group: the EU SHIPSAN ACT joint action partnership: Despena Andrioti, Anastasia Barbouni, Janneke Broekhuijsen, Martin Dirksen-Fischer, Rita Ferrelli, Brigita Kairienė, Antonis Kantonis, Galina Kokosharova, Elina Kostara, Angel Kunchev, Peter Otorepec, Robertas Petraitis, Rimantas Pilipavicius, Carman Varela Martinez, Natalja Vozelevskaja, Dominique Wagner.

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 9, 1-14

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to report the data analysis results from the International Health Regulations (2005) Ship Sanitation Certificates (SSCs), recorded in the European Information System (EIS). International sea trade and population movements by ships can contribute to the global spread of diseases. SSCs are issued to ensure the implementation of control measures if a public health risk exists on board. EIS designed according to the World Health Organization (WHO) “Handbook for Inspection of Ships and Issuance of SSC”. Inspection data were recorded and SSCs issued by inspectors working at European ports were analysed. From July 2011–February 2017, 107 inspectors working at 54 ports in 11 countries inspected 5579 ships. Of these, there were 29 types under 85 flags (including 19 EU Member States flags). As per IHR (2005) 10,281 Ship Sanitation Control Exception Certificates (SSCECs) and 296 Ship Sanitation Control Certificates (SSCCs) were issued, 74 extensions to existing SSCs were given, 7565 inspection findings were recorded, and 47 inspections were recorded without issuing an SSC. The most frequent inspection findings were the lack of potable water quality monitoring reports (23%). Ships aged ≥12 years (odds ratio, OR = 1.77, 95% confidence intervals, CI = 1.37–2.29) with an absence of cargo at time of inspection (OR = 3.36, 95% CI = 2.51–4.50) had a higher probability of receiving an SSCC, while ships under the EU MS flag had a lower probability of having inspection findings (OR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.66–0.79). Risk factors to prioritise the inspections according to IHR were identified by using the EIS. A global information system, or connection of national or regional information systems and data exchange, could help to better implement SSCs using common standards and procedures.

Keywords: international health regulations; Ship Sanitation Certificates; inspection; ship; travel; maritime health; sanitation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/9/1833/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/15/9/1833/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:9:p:1833-:d:165666

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().