Forssmed held a new meeting with the Director-General of the Public Health Agency, Olivia Wigzell, on Monday. This is in the light of the harsh criticism from the outgoing state epidemiologist Magnus Gisslén.
The agency is now reviewing its organization to ensure that it has medical expertise and that it strengthens it. I think that's good, says Forssmed after the meeting.
The review is being conducted by a group of doctors at the agency, likely together with external experts, explains Olivia Wigzell.
I am open to all proposals that come from the review, she says.
Raised the alarm publicly
Gisslén raised the alarm publicly last week about what he believes are deficiencies in Swedish pandemic preparedness. The Public Health Agency lacks deeper medical expertise in the management team, he pointed out.
The criticism led to the Public Health Agency quickly deciding that the state epidemiologist, currently acting Erik Sturegård, will from now on attend all management team meetings.
Since I think it's likely that we need to add more medical expertise to the management team. But I want to point out that the former state epidemiologist was always adjunct to the management team on all infectious disease issues, says Olivia Wigzell.
Wants more answers
After the meeting, Forssmed says he is satisfied with many of the answers he has received - the Public Health Agency has extensive expertise, not least in the form of 24 specialist doctors. But he believes that more is needed. Therefore, the agency will report on how it ensures medical infectious disease control expertise at all levels of the agency.
There we also explicitly state that it should compare itself with other Nordic countries, says Forssmed.
Competence exists
Olivia Wigzell emphasizes that she is confident in the expertise the agency already has.
We have carried out several development initiatives over the past year. But the assignment from the government will be a way to see if we can use the expertise even better.
At the same time, she admits that the recent questioning has damaged the trust in the agency.
Trust has been negatively affected, I assess, and that's very sad. Therefore, it's important to both show that we have expertise, and that we have listened to the criticism and are taking action.
