The National Department of Health (NDoH) is currently conducting a stakeholder consultation on key policy issues to guide the development of a modern Public Health Act.
As identified by the Constitution and Law Reform Commission (CLRC), the Public Health Act 1973 is more than 50 years old and is seen as a ‘colonial law’.
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Consultations started in East New Britain (ENB) last week among health officials, the provincial disaster and emergency office, the Rabaul Volcano Observatory, and other important stakeholders.
The review focused on the Public Health Act 1973 and its subordinate instruments, the Quarantine Act 1953, including the Quarantine Regulations 1956, and the National Pandemic Act 2020.
Further consultations looked at establishing a modern Public Health Act to provide the legal foundation to protect and promote the health and well-being of PNG, aligned with national health priorities and context.
NDoH’s Manager, Legal and Governance, Margaret Asinimbusa, said that the Public Health Act 1973 is not equipped to address the dramatic transformations that have reshaped society and the field of public health.
“The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the Act’s shortcomings, leading to the rapid enactment of the National Pandemic Act 2020 to support the national response.”
“Is therefore important that related laws that affect public health are considered to ensure coherence and alignment.”
The Public Health Act 1973 amendment is likely to include new public health challenges, socioeconomic shifts, global health regulations, and PNG’s evolving health system.
Meanwhile, a draft bill of the amendment is expected to go before the State Solicitor, National Executive Council, and First Legislative Council in August.