KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry is planning to form a National Disease Control Centre to prepare the country in the event of a health crisis, according to the Health White Paper.
The White Paper, which was released on Tuesday (June 13), read that such a disease control centre would be one of the initiatives to strengthen the public health network.
"In order to ensure a level of preparedness and rapid response to public health crises, the National Disease Control Centre will be established as the basis for preparedness and response to infectious diseases and to coordinate the distribution of manpower for health during a crisis.
"The Covid-19 pandemic has also shown how important it is to ensure the availability of sufficient medical equipment, diagnostics and essential medicines.
"Therefore, new strategies will be developed to address this issue including facilitating increased local production," it read.
The White Paper said the disease control centre is currently at a conceptual or planning stage under the national health reform strategy.
An oversight body will also be set up to monitor the progress of the implementation of the reform initiatives outlined in the Health White Paper.
This body will comprise a committee, a council or a commission to ensure that the reforms mooted are foolproof for the future.
The formation of the oversight body will ensure there are checks and balances and proper reporting on the measures undertaken.
"The commitment to implement reforms in the long term will remain even if there are changes in the administration and political leadership," it said.
"This body will monitor, analyse and report the status of the implementation of the reforms to Parliament and the people," it added.
The body will also propose recommendations and solutions for reforms.
The members of the body will be appointed from various backgrounds and expertise.
