4th meeting of the Work Stream of the EUROSAI Project Group on Health and Social Protection
On April 27, 2021, within the framework of the EUROSAI Project Group on Auditing the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 4th meeting of the Work Stream of the EUROSAI Project Group on Health and Social Protection was held.
Guillermo Ridruejo, Deputy Director of the Department of Economic Administration of SAI Spain, highlighted the importance of using reliable and accurate data when reporting on the COVID-19 situation, and presented results of a Questionnaire initiated by the SAI Spain on the audit on health information systems and procedures used by national health authorities to collect and report statistics on public health. The purpose of the survey is to improve the information management system as well as internal coordination and epidemiological surveillance. 8 European SAIs took part in the survey. The results showed that each country used its own methods of conducting the information campaign, but it became common to inform the population on a daily basis and rigorously check the reliability of the information.
Kevin Summersgill, Head of International department NAO UK, presented year one progress report on the activities of EUROSAI Project Group on Auditing the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. During 2020 20 knowledge-sharing events were held, 133 auditors used the resources of the project team in BIEP, 83 documents were published on the BIEP portal, and 2 common audit resources produced. He noted that the group has proven its efficiency in facilitating knowledge-sharing and improving the quality of audit reports. Nevertheless, as the sanitary and epidemiological situation stabilizes the PG structure, themes and topics should be reflected.
Stefan Kabatek, Director of the Performance Audit Department of the Czech SAI, presented the results of the audit of the preparedness of the Czech Government for a pandemic. The results were unsatisfactory: the infection plan of the Czech Republic has not been updated since 2011, medical institutions faced a shortage of protective equipment, procurement procedures were unprepared.
