GENEVA, Switzerland / RankWire.AI / – INTERPOL and the World Health Organization have signed a cooperation agreement to tackle threats where public health and security overlap. The two organisations announced the deal on October 16 from their headquarters in Lyon and Geneva. The framework joins INTERPOL’s law enforcement expertise with WHO’s public health leadership. It sets out joint action to prevent, detect and respond to risks that endanger lives worldwide. INTERPOL has 196 member countries, while WHO operates in more than 150 locations.
INTERPOL Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza said crime and health are becoming increasingly interconnected. He pointed to falsified medical products and the exploitation of vulnerable people as examples of how criminal networks put lives at risk. Urquiza said the agreement strengthens the agency’s ability to work with WHO to protect communities. He added that it would help bring those who threaten them to justice. INTERPOL’s General Assembly backed a cooperation agreement with WHO at its 2024 session in Glasgow.
The agreement focuses first on exceptional situations that require coordinated health and security action. These include incidents involving the suspected misuse of chemical or radioactive materials. They also cover unusual biological events, whether naturally occurring, accidental or deliberate. Such cases often demand fast information sharing between police, health ministries and emergency services. WHO has warned in recent years of rising cholera deaths and other outbreaks that strain health systems. The new framework is designed to link those responses across borders.
Major events and organ trafficking in focus
The two organisations will also coordinate their work around major international events and mass gatherings. The aim is to help countries prepare for and respond to potential health threats in high-visibility settings. WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said health security is global security. He said deeper collaboration with INTERPOL reinforces the collective ability to prevent harm and respond to emergencies. Tedros added that the partnership would protect people from threats that undermine health systems and public trust.
A second area of cooperation targets the trafficking of persons for the purpose of organ removal. The agreement also covers the illegal trade in human organs, tissues and cells. INTERPOL’s 2024 General Assembly resolution listed organ trafficking among the health-related crimes of shared concern. The same resolution cited the misuse of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear materials. Joint work is set to help national authorities identify such crimes earlier. It will also support the investigations needed to hold offenders to account.
Falsified medicines and tobacco control targeted
The agreement also addresses the growing threat of illicit goods that directly affect public health. These include falsified medicines, vaccines and medical devices, as well as counterfeit personal protective equipment. Unsafe or fraudulently labelled food and drink and illegally produced alcohol are also covered. WHO estimated in 2017 that about 1 in 10 medical products in low- and middle-income countries was substandard or falsified. The estimate drew on 48,000 medicine samples from 88 countries.
Cooperation will also support the implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The treaty entered into force on February 27, 2005, and now has 183 parties. Through joint efforts, INTERPOL and WHO will help countries identify these threats and protect consumers. They will also reinforce the international frameworks designed to keep people safe. INTERPOL will hold the 94th session of its General Assembly in Hong Kong from November 30 to December 3.