ENB UNDERTAKES REVIEW ON PUBLIC HEALTH ACT 1973

Pictures supplied by ENBPHA

BY WASITA ROYAL

THE National Department of Health is undertaking a comprehensive review of the Public Health Act 1973, with stakeholder consultations already underway in East New Britain Province.

The Act is more than 50 years old, and the review is aimed at developing a modern Public Health Act that will address contemporary health challenges; a need starkly exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Consultations began last week in East New Britain, bringing together health officials, the provincial disaster and emergency office, the Rabaul Volcano Observatory, and other key stakeholders.

The review encompassed not only the Public Health Act 1973 and its subordinate instruments but also the Quarantine Act 1953, the Quarantine Regulations 1956, and the National Pandemic Act 2020.

Margaret Asinimbu, Manager for Legal and Governance at the National Department of Health, said the existing legislation is no longer fit for purpose.

“The Public Health Act 1973 is not equipped to address the dramatic transformations that have reshaped our 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.

It is therefore important that related laws that affect public health is considered to ensure coherence and alignment.”

According to the Constitution and Law Reform Commission, the 1973 Act is seen as a “colonial law,” further proves the need for this reform.

The proposed amendments are expected to address new public health challenges, socio-economic shifts, global health regulations, and Papua New Guinea’s evolving health system.

The goal is to establish a modern legal foundation that protects and promotes the health and wellbeing of all Papua New Guineans, aligned with national health priorities and context.

A draft bill is scheduled to go before the State Solicitor, the National Executive Council, and the first legislative council in August 2026.