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.