Article 3 Functions

(1)

There are conferred on the Health Protection Agency the following functions—

(a)

the assessment under and in accordance with Article 6.1 of the IHR of events in Northern Ireland that may constitute a public health emergency of international concern;

(b)

acting, in relation to Northern Ireland, as a National IHR Focal Point as described in the IHR, in particular—

(i)

to be accessible at all times for communication with the WHO IHR Contact Point;

(ii)

to send to the WHO IHR Contact Point urgent communications concerning the implementation of the IHR, in particular under Articles 6 to 12 of the IHR;

(iii)

to disseminate information to, and consolidate information from, the competent IHR authority in Northern Ireland;

(iv)

to communicate with the competent IHR authority in Northern Ireland on the relevant public health measures taken pursuant to the IHR; and

(v)

to receive reports from the competent IHR authority in Northern Ireland on implementation of necessary additional health measures including isolation of conveyances to prevent the spread of disease in accordance with Article 27.1 of the IHR;

(c)

in relation to Northern Ireland and its role as National IHR Focal Point, the provision to WHO of contact details and thereafter:

(i)

continuously updating WHO in relation to any changes to such contact details; and

(ii)

confirming such contact details to WHO annually; and

(d)

the provision to WHO, in accordance with the function described at Article 20.3 of the IHR, of—

(i)

a list of bodies authorised to issue or extend the validity of Ship Sanitation Control Certificates or Ship Sanitation Control Exemption Certificates in Northern Ireland; and

(ii)

information on any changes which may occur to the status of the listed bodies.