46870 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health

46870 (2024). Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall to the Minister of Health: What progress, if any, has been made in the quarter January to March 2024 to ‘Maintain and strengthen robust national surveillance mechanisms for detecting and responding to future communicable disease outbreaks and threats’ under section 3.2 ‘An enhanced national public health system’ within Te Whatu Ora’s Te Pae Tata: Interim New Zealand Health Plan 2022?

Hon Dr Shane Reti: I am advised that during the January to March 2024 quarter, Health New Zealand launched regular surveillance reporting which informs weekly meetings and further public health actions as appropriate. This reporting incorporates input from a range of sources, including: ESR, Environmental Health Intelligence NZ (Massey University), Ministry for Primary Industries, NIWA, Fire and Emergency New Zealand. The first tranche of diseases for the Notifiable Disease Management System was launched (COVID-19 and Measles). This system enables case and contact management and collects data which will enable further surveillance of communicable diseases in New Zealand. The system will be progressively rolled out for all notifiable diseases.