The National Disaster Council, NDC, has participated in another round of consultation on the Public Health Emergency Bill (PHEB) with other key stakeholders at the Heritage Park Hotel on Thursday 25th February 2021.
The NDC through The National Disaster Management Office, NDMO has been active in sharing inputs to the PHEB in successive consultations conducted by the Government Taskforce to oversee the development of the Public Health Emergency Bill after Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare announced in Parliament on 28 July 2020.
The Bill among other aims is to give the government powers to take appropriate and timely actions to respond effectively to pandemics.
Under the National Disaster Council Act Section 2, the NDC is mandated to coordinate national disaster operations through the National Disaster Operations Committees (N-DOC).
The current COVID 19 operation is coordinated by the NDC through N-DOC with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, MHMS, as the lead agency supported by the key stakeholders in the operation.
The NDC is hoping that the PHEB once enacted will help strengthen and enhance efficiency and effectiveness of national disaster operations connected with pandemics.
Stakeholders participated at the consultation included the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Ministry of Police and National Security, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Solomon Islands Red Cross, Solomon Islands Ports Authority, and Immigration and Customs Officers.
More PHEB consultations are schedules for the coming weeks.
The PHEB is expected to be tabled in Parliament before the current State of Public Emergency expires later this month.
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