SINGAPORE: A new agency to prevent, manage and control infectious diseases in Singapore will be set up in the first half of the year, after parliament passed a Bill on Tuesday (Jan 7) setting out the legislative framework for its establishment.
The Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) will be a statutory board under the Ministry of Health (MOH) and will consolidate public health functions from MOH, the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) and the Health Promotion Board (HPB) under one agency.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung first announced the setting up of this agency in March 2023, during the COVID-19 White Paper debate.
The White Paper had proposed strengthening the structures and capabilities for forward planning and preparedness to respond to the next pandemic in a more agile and fluid manner.
Speaking in parliament on Tuesday, Minister of State for Health Rahayu Mahzam pointed out that Singapore's current capabilities in managing communicable diseases are spread across several entities.
For instance, MOH sets policy, NCID administers the public health control measures as part of the national programmes, and HPB does public education, she said.
“By consolidating into a dedicated agency, it will help us systematically build up strong public health expertise and organisational capacity and establish international linkages, to better tackle future pandemics,” she added.
Set up against the backdrop of threats, including an increasing frequency of infectious disease outbreaks and antimicrobial resistance, the new government body will serve as the front-line agency to safeguard Singapore from infectious diseases.
In her opening speech, Mdm Rahayu outlined five areas of responsibility for CDA, the new agency: Prevent, prepare for, detect, respond to and enable a swift response to infectious diseases.
She said the new agency will lead and coordinate public health preparedness and safeguard national interests such as vaccine and therapeutics development.
It will also strengthen surveillance capabilities through new modalities such as wastewater testing, as well as data analytics and artificial intelligence.
During a pandemic, MOH will drive the country's approach and strategy while CDA will provide policy and scientific recommendations, she said.
The agency will also work with MOH and other agencies to carry out operations such as contact tracing and border control measures.
Highlighting the importance of research in preparing for infectious diseases, Mdm Rahayu said CDA will coordinate and conduct public health research and use findings from local and international studies to guide public health, clinical actions and policies.
It will also engage overseas stakeholders and counterparts to enable Singapore to respond swiftly to rapidly evolving global disease situations, she added.
Members of Parliament Yip Won Heng (PAP-Yio Chu Kang) and Dr Wan Rizal (PAP-Jalan Besar) raised concerns about the transition and how continuity would be maintained as the new agency consolidates key public health functions.
Meanwhile, MP James Lim (WP-Sengkang) suggested providing CDA with a broad mandate to address emergencies, including disaster management as well as the aftermath of a bioweapons outbreak.
He added that CDA's role should extend beyond emergencies to include addressing ongoing communicable diseases like influenza and dengue.
On the issue of ensuring continuity of operations, Mdm Rahayu said MOH has ensured a smooth transition since the new agency was first announced in March 2023.
This includes establishing an interim CDA as a pre-operations structure in end-2023, where critical functions, including disease surveillance, monitoring and investigations, can steadily transit and continue to operate effectively.
Regular engagement sessions with staff and unions have also been conducted to provide information and seek feedback, she said.
To grow expertise, Mdm Rahayu said CDA will provide structured learning opportunities to equip officers with the relevant competencies to perform their jobs effectively.
On Assoc Prof Lim's suggestion to expand CDA's mandate to cover disaster management, Mdm Rahayu said the new agency's aim is to focus on communicable diseases as its expertise lies in this area.
"For national man-made disasters, MOH and other ministries already have the capabilities to respond to them. CDA will work together with these ministries and agencies on the communicable issues that will arise," she said.
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The Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) will be a statutory board under the Ministry of Health (MOH) and will consolidate public health functions from MOH, the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) and the Health Promotion Board (HPB) under one agency.
Health Minister Ong Ye Kung first announced the setting up of this agency in March 2023, during the COVID-19 White Paper debate.
The White Paper had proposed strengthening the structures and capabilities for forward planning and preparedness to respond to the next pandemic in a more agile and fluid manner.
Speaking in parliament on Tuesday, Minister of State for Health Rahayu Mahzam pointed out that Singapore's current capabilities in managing communicable diseases are spread across several entities.
For instance, MOH sets policy, NCID administers the public health control measures as part of the national programmes, and HPB does public education, she said.
“By consolidating into a dedicated agency, it will help us systematically build up strong public health expertise and organisational capacity and establish international linkages, to better tackle future pandemics,” she added.
Related:
WHAT THE NEW AGENCY WILL DO
Set up against the backdrop of threats, including an increasing frequency of infectious disease outbreaks and antimicrobial resistance, the new government body will serve as the front-line agency to safeguard Singapore from infectious diseases.
In her opening speech, Mdm Rahayu outlined five areas of responsibility for CDA, the new agency: Prevent, prepare for, detect, respond to and enable a swift response to infectious diseases.
She said the new agency will lead and coordinate public health preparedness and safeguard national interests such as vaccine and therapeutics development.
It will also strengthen surveillance capabilities through new modalities such as wastewater testing, as well as data analytics and artificial intelligence.
During a pandemic, MOH will drive the country's approach and strategy while CDA will provide policy and scientific recommendations, she said.
The agency will also work with MOH and other agencies to carry out operations such as contact tracing and border control measures.
Highlighting the importance of research in preparing for infectious diseases, Mdm Rahayu said CDA will coordinate and conduct public health research and use findings from local and international studies to guide public health, clinical actions and policies.
It will also engage overseas stakeholders and counterparts to enable Singapore to respond swiftly to rapidly evolving global disease situations, she added.
Related:
WHAT MPs SAID
Members of Parliament Yip Won Heng (PAP-Yio Chu Kang) and Dr Wan Rizal (PAP-Jalan Besar) raised concerns about the transition and how continuity would be maintained as the new agency consolidates key public health functions.
Meanwhile, MP James Lim (WP-Sengkang) suggested providing CDA with a broad mandate to address emergencies, including disaster management as well as the aftermath of a bioweapons outbreak.
He added that CDA's role should extend beyond emergencies to include addressing ongoing communicable diseases like influenza and dengue.
MDM RAHAYU'S RESPONSE
On the issue of ensuring continuity of operations, Mdm Rahayu said MOH has ensured a smooth transition since the new agency was first announced in March 2023.
This includes establishing an interim CDA as a pre-operations structure in end-2023, where critical functions, including disease surveillance, monitoring and investigations, can steadily transit and continue to operate effectively.
Regular engagement sessions with staff and unions have also been conducted to provide information and seek feedback, she said.
To grow expertise, Mdm Rahayu said CDA will provide structured learning opportunities to equip officers with the relevant competencies to perform their jobs effectively.
On Assoc Prof Lim's suggestion to expand CDA's mandate to cover disaster management, Mdm Rahayu said the new agency's aim is to focus on communicable diseases as its expertise lies in this area.
"For national man-made disasters, MOH and other ministries already have the capabilities to respond to them. CDA will work together with these ministries and agencies on the communicable issues that will arise," she said.
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