The bill to merge the Ministry of Health and the National Health Services was approved in the final reading in the Parliament yesterday. 

The legislation seeks to amend the Ministry of Health Act 2006 and repeal the National Health Services Act 2014, and proposes to regulate the additional functions, roles and responsibilities of the Ministry of Health. The bill also gives effect to the transfer of the role of the National Health Service to the Ministry of Health. 

It will also give the Ministry new functions and responsibilities – due to the merge of healthcare and administration services. 

Additionally, the bill seeks to provide for the functions, roles and responsibilities of a director general and deputy director general of the Ministry of Health.  

But prior to the approval of the provisions, Associate Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi questioned the Minister of Health on the redundancy packages for those affected by this merge.