The 2020 National Public Health Institute of SA Act was gazetted on 7 August, reports Pam Saxby for Legalbrief Policy Watch. The Act (written before COVID-19) creates a vehicle for coordinating and integrating disease and injury surveillance data – focusing on the country’s most pressing challenges in respect of communicable and non-communicable diseases.
Drawing from existing pockets of excellence, the institute to be established by the Act will also be expected to provide specialised public health services; make appropriate interventions; offer training; and conduct research.
Both Bills were tabled in 2017 and were among those that lapsed last year when Parliament rose for the elections. They were revived in October and were passed shortly before a COVID-19 State of Disaster was declared.
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