Japan: new disease control body for pandemics

The Japan Institute for Health Security was officially launched on Tuesday, April 1. The new organization will advise the government on major outbreaks of infectious diseases. Created in response to criticism of the public response to COVID-19, the institute combines disease monitoring and analysis with treatment and clinical research. The first part was originally handled by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, while the second was overseen by the National Center for Global Health and Medicine. The merging of the two entities into the new institute should enable a more effective and comprehensive response to disease outbreaks, from collecting data to health care provision.
The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for quick decision-making and better coordination between the government and local administrations based on correct risk communication. The crisis management headquarters within the organization will supervise information sharing between experts and government authorities, as well as manage information gathering and risk assessments. The response to health crises will instead be enhanced by the new secretariat of Disaster Medical Assistance Teams of the organization.