The Ministry of Health has recently issued a new directive to accelerate the delegation of administrative authority to its subordinate units. Consequently, the Preventive Medicine Administration (PMA) will officially represent the Ministry in managing a wide range of critical roles in disease surveillance and border health management.
Transferred areas of responsibility A total of 13 professional task groups will be handed over to the PMA, focusing on core sectors:
-
Infectious disease control: Managing HIV/AIDS data, approving national antiretroviral drug distribution plans, and directing periodic expanded immunization campaigns.
-
Border health security: Directly supervising border medical quarantine, collaborating with defense agencies to regulate border activities during disease outbreaks, and participating in infrastructure planning for border trade zones.
-
Monitoring and response: Conducting specialized inspections, reporting medical environment indicators, and addressing technical inquiries or challenges raised by local authorities and other ministries.
Simplification of administrative procedures In addition to professional tasks, the PMA is now authorized to approve licensing for the importation of medical specimens. This shift is expected to expedite administrative processing for procedures related to medical research and testing.
Implementation timeline The new regulatory framework will take effect on February 15, 2026. Regarding applications for specimen import permits submitted prior to this date, the processing will continue under existing regulations to ensure institutional continuity.