Question NW2562 to the Minister of Health
10 December 2021 - NW2562
Ismail, Ms H to ask the Minister of Health
(1)With regard to the oversight measures that he implemented for the COVID-19 Vaccine Injury No-Fault Compensation Scheme, which includes the creation of the Governance Oversight Committee, what (a) are the reasons that the draft regulations state that the specified committee will be headed by a retired judge, (b) is the date on which the final members for the committee will be chosen and (c) are the relevant (i) qualifications and (ii) job descriptions for all the positions in the committee; (2) (a) through which system and/or entity will disbursements be made and (b) what are the criteria for (i) disbursements for claimants and (ii) deciding on the amounts payable; (3) whether he will provide Ms H Ismail with a list of candidates nominated for the committee; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
1. (a) Initially the National Department of Health (NDOH) anticipated that the adjudication and appeals process of the NFC Scheme would be complicated and onerous and that a retired judge would be better placed to oversee the scheme and adjudicate the appeals. Upon re-assessment the NDOH has realised that the processes and caseload are not as complicated and burdensome hence the requirement for a retired judge and a Governance Oversight Committee has been done away with and this will reflect in the amended Regulations and Directions that will be published soon. All oversight powers will now vest with the DG as the Accounting Officer of the NDOH.
(b) No committee members have been appointed on the basis that the Governance Oversight Committee will no longer be required.
(c) See (a) and (b) above.
2. (a)-(b) The disbursements will be done by the NDOH. Disbursements will be made once claimants have been able to establish a causal link between the vaccine and the injury. This will be assessed by the National Immunisation Safety Expert Committee and the Adjudication Panel will set the quantum.
3. The NDOH is not able to provide a list of nominated candidates for the Governance Oversight Committee since the Committee was never established based on the reasons outlined above.
END.