Brazil’s Health Authority Publishes Guidance on Monitoring International Health Regulation (IHR) Core Capacities at Designated Points of Entry

Published: December 2025
Open for contributions until February 16, 2026

Brazil’s National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) has released a new guidance document to support the monitoring and evaluation of International Health Regulation (IHR 2005) core public-health capacities at the country’s designated Points of Entry (PoE) — including airports, ports, and key border crossings.

The guidance is currently in force and open to public and institutional contributions until 16 February 2026, via email submission to:
Email: [email protected]

Strengthening Brazil’s Readiness Under the International Health Regulations

The International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) — adopted under the World Health Organization framework — require signatory countries to maintain minimum public-health surveillance and response capabilities, particularly at international Points of Entry where infectious-disease risks and health emergencies may emerge.

Anvisa’s new guidance is intended to:

standardize monitoring practices
reinforce disease-surveillance capability
improve preparedness for health emergencies
align local procedures with global WHO standards

This initiative supports prevention, rapid response, and cross-border health security, strengthening Brazil’s obligations under international health law.

What the Guidance Covers

The document provides technical orientation on:

evaluation of operational readiness at Points of Entry
core capacities for detecting and responding to public-health risks
incident reporting and communication procedures
inter-agency coordination mechanisms
preventive and response measures during emergencies

The guidance applies to designated international entry points responsible for health surveillance involving:

passenger health events
transport-related outbreaks
emergency measures at borders
international public-health notifications

Open Consultation — Stakeholder Participation Encouraged

In line with Brazil’s commitment to transparent regulatory governance, Anvisa has opened the guidance for public consultation.

Deadline for contributions:
16 February 2026

Email for submissions:
[email protected]

Contributions are encouraged from:

public-health authorities
airport and transport operators
port authorities
regulatory and compliance professionals
international-trade stakeholders
risk-management and emergency-response teams

Why This Matters

In a highly connected global environment, strong border-level readiness is critical to preventing:

cross-border disease transmission
economic disruption
public-health crises
travel and logistics risks

Brazil’s updated framework reflects:

greater awareness following the pandemic
regulatory maturity
commitment to preparedness and resilience
alignment with WHO safety standards

Strategic Implications for Businesses & Operators

Organizations operating in aviation, shipping, logistics, tourism, and cross-border commerce are encouraged to:

review internal risk-response frameworks
align procedures with IHR-based controls
strengthen crisis-response planning
ensure documentation readiness
coordinate closely with authorities supervised by Anvisa

Final Outlook

This new guidance represents an important advance in health-security governance at Brazil’s international gateways. By reinforcing International Health Regulation-based procedures at Points of Entry, Brazil enhances its capacity to prevent, detect, and respond quickly to public-health threats, supporting both public safety and economic continuity.

Stakeholders are encouraged to follow developments after the consultation period and — where relevant — participate before the 16 February 2026 deadline.