Question

What concerns should the United States have with the potential of illegal aliens bringing diseases such as TB, hepatitis, and other public health concerns across the border with them? What steps do you think our government could take to address this problem and what agencies would you consider using to assist you?

Answer 1

The concerns that should be taken across the borders by united states government to minimise or eradicate the spread of diseases by ilegal immigrants are as follows:-

1) Government department of homeland security has public health protocols in their standard operating procedures to minimise or decrease any possible health risks.

2) Government has kept medical units or stations at borders and also looks out for the measures to protect customs. Government is providing gloves, long sleeved shirt, frequent washing for border protection officials.

3) Department of diseases prevention also take measures to protect population from communicable diseases.

4) quarantine /epidemic stations are allocated at port entry which enables standard medical examination of persons.

5) The government has allocated interstate and foreign epidemic regulations.

6) department of disease control and prevention have various teams one of them is epidemiological which monitors infectious diseases among immigrants and refugees.

7)There are several surveillance systems to minimise the spread of infectious diseases.

8) department of disease control and prevention also confirms and establishes vaccination in children with valid documentation. All children are well screened.

The steps government should take to address this problem are as follows:-

Firstly it should make public health screening a standard and essential part of immigration. Enable ports of entry with technology to rapidly screen infectious diseases ( use of breath analyser). Give prophylactic treatment to all immigrants. Recruitment of agricultural specialists and plant inspectionist for health inspection of animals and plants.Border protection officials should have the authority to order for secondary health screening of persons. United states public health services and departments of disease control and prevention should have trained personnel in detection and containment of infectious diseases stationed at every port entry.

Agencies to consider to assist in solving this problem are:-

Public health services centres, Specialised medical training centres, border protection officials, centres of disease control and prevention , agricultural specialists and plant inspectionist, personnel with specific medical training and standard surveillance and screening centers