Ministry of Social Affairs and Health appointed a group to coordinate preparedness for public health emergencies

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has appointed a coordination group to support preparedness and management in healthcare and social welfare because of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

In Finland, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is responsible for the national preparedness and management of existing and emerging public health emergencies. The aim of the new coordination group is to step up the management and coordination of measures in the administrative branch of the ministry.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus a public health emergency of international concern. The coordination group will plan, manage and coordinate measures in healthcare and social welfare to prevent spread of the novel coronavirus. It will support the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), the Finnish Medicines Agency (Fimea), the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira), the regional state administrative agencies and the municipalities and joint municipal authorities in their efforts to prevent spread of the virus.

An operational group will work under the coordination group. Its task is to maintain situational awareness in the field and coordinate preparedness measures. The term of office of the two groups will remain in force until further notice.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) cooperate with the World Health Organization (WHO), EU Member States, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE), and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) to prevent outbreaks of all infectious diseases.

Inquiries 

Kirsi Varhila, Permanent Secretary, tel. +358 295 163 338, [email protected]