New infectious diseases agency to chart S'pore's pandemic plans: PM Wong

Communicable Diseases Agency to ensure nation is prepared for future health crises

- Judith Tan Correspondent

Singapore's newest public health agency will take the lead to refresh and update the country's pandemic plans, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

Speaking at the official launch of the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA), PM Wong likened pandemic preparedness to taking out an insurance policy against future crises, and noted that this always comes at a cost.

"In good times, people may ask why we are spending so much on insurance," he said. "But when a crisis hits - the first question is: why didn't we buy enough insurance?"

PM Wong, who is also Finance Minister, said CDA must therefore strike a careful balance between preparedness and sustainability of resources.

"This requires a dynamic approach - stay alert to emerging risks, and when we see threats building up, be ready to ramp up our buffers and defences," he said, outlining one of the key tasks of CDA.

"To do so, CDA will work closely with its partners to review our stockpiles, surge capacities and capabilities - to ensure they remain both effective and sustainable."

In his speech at the NUS University Cultural Centre on Nov 12, PM Wong presented the sobering reality that Covid-19 will not be Singapore's last pandemic.

"New diseases will continue to emerge, as viruses spill over from animals to humans. In our interconnected and fast-moving world, they can cross borders as quickly as people can," he said, adding that the next pandemic may come sooner than people expect.

CDA, which comes under the Ministry of Health (MOH), is the first statutory board to be established in six years. The last one was the Home Team Science and Technology Agency, under Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs. It was launched in December 2019.