NITI group pitches for a separate law to tackle future public health crisis

An expert group constituted by Niti Aayog to prepare a framework for future pandemic preparedness has suggested enacting separate legislation to handle public health crises.

The report titled 'Future Pandemic Preparedness and Emergency Response - A Framework for Action' said learning from the experience of COVID-19, the experts have realised that responding in the first 100 days of an outbreak is crucial for effective management.

"A separate Public Health Emergency Management Act (PHEMA) is proposed to facilitate the management of any public health crisis.

"The PHEMA can address various aspects beyond epidemics, including non-communicable diseases, disasters, and bio-terrorism, and should be in place for a developed country," it said.

It will allow a holistic approach to health management, covering prevention, control, and disaster response, the report added.

"The Act would also provide for the creation of skilled public health cadres at national and state levels," it said.

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