The establishment of a new health security emergency response service to enable “rapid delivery of mass testing, contact tracing and vaccination” has been recommended to the Government.
The recommendation was made in a the new report from the emerging health threats function expert steering group (ESG). The ESG outlines a number of structural changes that should be undertaken.
Further ESG recommendations include the establishment of an Irish scientific advisory group for emergencies to support Government decision-making and a new interdepartmental working group to “enhance” cross-Government collaboration in preparing for future health emergencies.
According to the Department of Health, the ESG has delivered recommendations that are designed “to address existing gaps in Ireland’s public health protection system” in order to improve Ireland’s preparedness for health emergencies.
“The report of the ESG is a critical tool to help us further build on this progress, by developing additional enhancements to our health protection mechanisms,” Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said on the publication of the report.
The ESG report also says that national emergency co-ordination group should be utilised “to facilitate a coordinated whole-of-Government response to health emergencies”.
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