Agency to Boost Tackling of Infectious Diseases to Be Set Up by First Half of 2025

A new lead agency to prevent, prepare for, detect and manage infectious diseases will be set up by the first half of 2025, with the passing of a new Bill on Jan 7.

- Lee Li Ying

The move is to allow for better integration and organization of public health functions for communicable diseases, and to improve overall command, control and coordination of public health responses.

The plan to establish the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) was unveiled by Health Minister Ong Ye Kung during the parliamentary debate on the Covid-19 White Paper in March 2023.

Singapore's current capabilities in managing communicable diseases reside in several entities, said Minister of State for Health Rahayu Mahzam on Jan 7 during the second reading of the Bill, which sets out the legislative framework for the new agency.

For example, while the Ministry of Health (MOH) sets policy, the National Centre for Infectious Diseases administers the public health control measures as part of national programmes, and the Health Promotion Board does public education.

"By consolidating (these areas) into a dedicated agency, it will help us systematically build up strong public health expertise and organizational capacity and establish international linkages, to better tackle future pandemics," said Ms Rahayu.

The establishment of the new agency is a response to the three recommendations presented in the Covid-19 White Paper.

First, Singapore must not lose the capabilities it had deepened and developed during the Covid-19 response, like data analytics and epidemic modelling. Such capabilities should be maintained and developed to better prepare Singapore to manage future pandemics.

Second, Singapore should institutionalize the use of science and technology in responding to infectious disease threats.