THE country’s COVID response plan has been active since the declaration of COVID-19 as a health pandemic by World Health Organisation (WHO).
This was highlighted by the Chairman of the National Disaster Council (NDC) and Permanent Secretary (PS) of the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Meteorology and Disaster Dr Melchior Mataki during Sunday’s talk-back show.
“Since the declaration that COVID is a health pandemic the country came up with a response plan,” he said.
He said the government has been working on a COVID response plan.
“It’s a 24 months plan,” he said.
He said there are other stakeholders involved in the response plan.
“That plan is to protect the vulnerable at the same try to sustain the economy.”
He said the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) has been involved to support the plan.
“Whilst it’s a health issue, NDMO is there to support,” Dr Mataki said.
He said under the plan, there are provincial disaster operations committee (PDOC) to ensure they monitor the situation on the ground and provide advice to the National Oversight Committee and other relevant authorities.
“Under the plan we try as much as possible to ensure all relevant sectors deal with the community transmission.
“And the target is within six months we have the situation under control.”
He said work in terms of response has been going on to ensure the country can work to response effectively to community transmission.
He said under the response there are various sectors working together.
These included health, police, education and livelihood.
Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services Pauline McNeil said under the new strategy and response plan there’s a target to reduce the spread of the virus by expanding the vaccination sites, deployment of more medical officers and equipment to the provinces.
“This is to ensure the country can protect the vulnerable, disable, elderlies and those with underlying health conditions,” Mrs McNeil said.
She also highlighted the need to ensure there is improved information and data so that the public can have better access to updated information.
