MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT
GOVERNMENT OF THE COOK ISLANDS
Wednesday 17 March 2021
MFEM signs MOU with TMO FOR PPE, INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL CONSUMABLES AND EQUIPMENT
The Ministry of Finance and Economic Management (MFEM) and Te Marae Ora (TMO) Ministry of Health signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) outlining their respective roles and responsibilities for prioritizing adequate stock levels of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), Infection Prevention & Control Consumables and Equipment.
The MOU was signed on 12 March 2021 by the Financial Secretary, Garth Henderson and the Secretary of Health, Bob Williams to recognize this collaborative arrangement to ensure the Cook Islands Government (CIG) critical preparedness, readiness and response (CPRR) towards the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The impacts of COVID-19 has caused significant pressure on CIG to pull resources towards supporting the CPRR Plan and to ensure all key stakeholders that are involved are well equipped to flatten the epidemic curve and delay, slow and stop the spread of infection. Although we are fortunate to not have any cases of COVID-19 reach the Cook Islands, it is important that these types of collaborative arrangements across CIG agencies are maintained.
There has already been a significant amount of work completed by MFEM, TMO, various Government Agencies and development partners. This MOU solidifies work undertaken over the last 8 months and further formalizes the roles and responsibilities relating to the management of TMO stock levels of PPE, Infection Prevention & Control Consumables and Equipment.
This also includes specific responsibilities for TMO to provide necessary Goods and Services to Border Agencies and any other key frontline parties (as deemed necessary by TMO).
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