44473 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health

44473 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health: What progress, if any, has been made in the quarter (January to March 2024) toward the objective of ‘Lessons: Lessons from COVID-19 are applied across the health system’ under the goal ‘INTEGRATE: We strengthen and integrate resilience across our systems’ within the Strategic Framework for Managing COVID-19?

Hon Dr Shane Reti: I am advised that the Ministry of Health is working to ensure a well-coordinated work programme that includes a strategic approach, a review of the current legislation, consideration of strengthened institutional arrangements, and other preparedness activities. This work programme is future focussed and disease agnostic, however it will progress many of the key objectives in the Aotearoa New Zealand Strategic Framework for managing COVID-19 (the Strategic Framework). I expect that the recommendations of the phase one report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into COVID-19 lessons learnt will be incorporated into this programme, where appropriate. The Strategic Framework continues to guide the day-to-day health system response to COVID-19, which is focussed on protecting those most at risk of serious illness and managing transmission proportionate to risk. Budget 24 allocated funding over four years to support the ongoing management of COVID-19, in line with the Strategic Framework, and wider pandemic preparedness activities.