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16Sciences of Europe # 64, (2021)
POLITICAL SCIENCES
53
STUDY OF THE WORLD EXPERIENCE OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION ON THE CONTROL OF
THE SPREAD OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Makarenko M.
Candidate of Medical Sciences, Director of MM-Dental Clinic, candidate for the degree of Doctor of Science, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv ORCID: 0000-0001-8677-8670
ABSTRACT
The article examines the experience of some countries in the fight against the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The national peculiarities of the functioning of the respective subjects in the system of public administration of foreign countries are analyzed. Ukraine's further measures to privatize certain state-owned facilities, use public-private partnership mechanisms, and accelerate the implementation of European standards of health care have been identified. The need to focus on economic policy in the post-crisis period is justified, which will allow to achieve a rapid recovery and increase employment by stimulating certain sectors. Emphasis is placed on the need for dynamic change of priorities aimed at adapting to the changes caused by the crisis and in accordance with the demand generated by the market.
Keywords: public administration, health, the COVID-19 pandemic, the fight against the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-epidemic protection.
1. Introduction
The latest results of a new analysis conducted by the World Bank show that the expansion of the COVID-19 pandemics has contributed to global achievements in education, health, social and economic development. This situation is especially dangerous for developing countries [1].
The pandemic threatens the progress in human capital formation that has been made in recent decades. The 2020 Human Capital Index, compiled by the World Bank Group, contains data on health and education in 174 countries, which account for 98 percent of the world's population [2].
The analysis shows that before the pandemic in most countries there was a steady progress in the formation of human capital, and in low-income countries, its rate was highest. However, despite this progress, and even before the pandemic, a child born in a typical country could expect to achieve only 56 percent of the potential level of human capital that is possible with full education and good health. Currently, 160 countries are responding to the pandemic. Some countries isolate their patients without quarantine, but the governments of most countries are taking tougher measures: closing public institutions, schools, kindergartens, restricting the movement of citizens within the country. Many countries, including Ukraine, conduct mass testing, identify the most dangerous areas of virus concentration and impose quarantine not in the whole country, but in dangerous areas. Among the progressive countries of Europe, the popular concept of the formation of collective immunity, which provides an opportunity for everyone to get sick. A new model of social organization of life and work is being formed all over the world - social distancing, remote mode of work and study. However, the WHO notes that the observance of basic rules of hygiene and self-control of their health have a slightly greater effect than restrictive measures [3].
2. Analysis of recent publications on the issue and identification of previously unresolved parts of the overall problem
Studies of state regulation in the field of epidemic well-being of the population, namely the public health system, presented in the work of domestic scientists Y. Voronenko, O. Gulchiy, I. Gushchuk, V. Moskalenko, I. Rozhkova, N. Ringach, I. Solonenko and others. At the same time, listening to the difficult situation in Ukraine and the world due to the prevalence of pandemics COVID-19, explore the world experience in preventing and combating pandemics, which continues to be relevant.
3. The purpose of the article
The aim of the article is to study the world experience of public administration in combating the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
4. Presentation of the main material of the study with a full justification of the obtained scientific results
The study and implementation of world experience in combating the pandemic contributes to the formation of relevant actors in the system of public administration, which have their own national specifics. Pandemic preparedness and control are the responsibility of many government entities in the EU and the US, which are divided between different levels of government. In both systems, security functions take place at the highest political levels. In Europe, this includes EU-level governing bodies, where national officials act collectively and the heads of the EU institutions (especially the European Commission) have a voice in European security issues. In the United States, the federal level plays an important role in defining a common framework for action, setting standards, and allocating resources, thus empowering government officials to describe and formulate actions for the general public. EU leaders recommend action in
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a number of areas, including monitoring national preparedness, coordinating and streamlining national responses to a pandemic outbreak, and ensuring compliance with generally agreed rules. Assessing the implementation, it is advisable to expand communication and exchange of information, exchange best practices among national governments and expand the activities of the European Commission [4, p. 9].
The activities of the financial management and reporting of OECD countries are as follows: financing the costs of COVID-19 during the budget year; allocating resources for policy development in emergencies; timely registration of extraordinary expenses; ensuring transparency and accountability [5].
Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan and Singapore were able to take tough action at the start of the pandemic by setting up an early warning system and institutional infrastructure for the current outbreak. Countries have established their own Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which have the authority to staff, budget, autonomy, and provide guidance to the public and provide advice to senior management. Four East Asian countries have also invested in the development of critical health infrastructure (specialized medical centers and hospitals, intensive care units, the introduction of public-private partnership models to increase existing medical capacity) [6, p. 795].
In Portugal, the draft law was amended to give the Cabinet of Ministers the powers normally vested in parliament to transfer funding between programs within the budget. In Slovenia, the legislature has authorized measures on exceptional budget flexibility, such as allowing redistribution of funds above the thresholds set out in the Annual Budget Act. In Italy, the parliament authorized a temporary deviation from the adjustment path towards medium-term deficit and debt targets. In Germany, the government presented an additional budget that did not comply with the budget balance policy introduced in 2015. It was approved by parliament on the basis of "exceptional circumstances". The Swedish government has submitted a number of bills on the additional budget for approval by parliament (11 additional budget bills depending on the extent of the crisis) [7]. In some countries [8], simplified processes have been allowed by law, in particular on the procurement of goods, works and services in the event of an emergency.
For example, in France, where an "emergency" is discussed in the Procurement Code and authorizes the simplification of procurement processes. In this country, the adoption of procurement procedures involves the establishment of a unit within the structure of the Ministry of Finance to control the so-called "fiscal compliance" of enterprises that entered into contracts during the COVID-19 crisis.
As can be seen, in the implementation of public administration functions in the field of epidemic threats, the main areas focus on: monitoring, early warning, restriction of certain human rights and freedoms, intergovernmental and organizational relations, decision-making structures and processes, rapid response, implementation of tasks using digital technologies. In addition, it is important to improve the legislation that allows for budget expenditures in
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connection with an emergency. An important factor in combating epidemic challenges and threats is the creation of an institutional system of anti-epidemic protection on the basis of pre-built modern infrastructure; providing qualified personnel and opportunities to attract private investment through public-private partnership models, which allow not only to use financial resources, but also to bring new scientific and applied technologies, their own management capabilities.
Crisis response systems should ensure the effective use of public administration mechanisms and management entities in adapting to the impact of crises, overcoming them and restoring the country to a postcrisis state. The creation of a crisis response system should use effective management tools that should ensure intersystem and interdepartmental interaction; act in accordance with plans and procedures for coordination and interaction between actors in the security and crisis response system; use information and analytical centers that support decision-making processes; use the available resources of the private owner on the basis of models of public-private partnership in the field of security functions and protection of critical infrastructure [9].
Taking into account the consequences of the pandemic allows us to draw conclusions about the need in the post-crisis period to focus on economic policy, which will stimulate certain sectors to achieve a rapid recovery and increase employment. An important aspect remains the dynamic change of priorities, aimed at adapting to the changes caused by the crisis and in accordance with the demand that shapes the market.
Strategically, the state policy should focus on economic recovery, social protection, changing management models in the field of health care, epidemiological protection of the population and environmental issues (reduction of environmental pollution, improving the quality of drinking water). These issues should be monitored by the relevant coordinating bodies, which reduce the risks of fragmentation of the overall crisis response process.
Changes in the health care system should include further measures to privatize certain state-owned facilities, use public-private partnership mechanisms, and accelerate the implementation of European health care standards.
One of the key aspects remains infrastructure development, with a focus on the creation of facilities in science, education, health, renewable energy and modern utilities, which will optimize and modernize the use and protection of critical infrastructure, including during epidemiological challenges.
The strengthening of the state's export potential and the search for new commodity and production sectors, which have arisen due to changes in supply chains, are seen as significant. Investments in new areas of development related to digital technologies, 3-D printing, logistics reorganization, etc. can play a significant role. In the future, it is advisable at the regional and local levels to ensure in the system of public administration the organization of economic recovery, normalization of socio-economic processes and control over critical infrastructure of regional and
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local importance. Expansion of state insurance is also considered to be an additional support for the most vulnerable members of the private sector and citizens in the event of local and large-scale consequences related to epidemic threats.
5. Conclusions
In general, the further development of public administration in the face of epidemic threats should be based on a modern national strategy to prevent global threats, which should be formed on the basis of existing world experience and global and local opportunities and risks and dynamic control over strategic and tactical objectives; creation of the necessary infrastructure network (health care, energy, logistics, information and communication and digital technologies); involvement of private business in projects in the areas of sanitary and epidemiological control and health care based on models of public-private partnership; investments in science, education, health and other activities aimed at human capital development; expanding digital governance, etc.
References
1. World Bank Annual Report 2020. [Online], available at: https://www.worldbank.org/en/about/annual-report/covid-response (Accessed 30 Jan 2021).
2. The Human Capital Index 2020 Update: Human Capital in the Time of COVID-19. [Online], available at: https://datacatalog.worldbank. org/dataset/human-capital-index (Accessed 28 Jan 2021).
3. Herd immunity for COVID-19 in the future. [Online], available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/herd-immunity#covid-19-and-herd-immunity. (Accessed 30 Jan 2021).
4. Brattberg E., Rhinard M. Multilevel Governance and Complex Threats: The Case of Pandemic Preparedness in the European Union and the United States. Global Health Governance. 2011. № 1(5). Р. 1-21.
5. Public debt management responses to COVID-19. OECD. Publishing, Paris, 2020. [Online], available at: https://read.oecd-ilibrary.org/view/?ref=126_126652-xww0besra3&title=Public_debt_management_ responses_to_COVID-19. (Accessed 1 Feb 2021).
6. An B. Y., Tang S. Y. Lessons from COVID-19 responses in East Asia: Institutional infrastructure and enduring policy instruments. The American Review of Public Administration. 2020. № 6-7(50). Р. 790-800.
7. Government financial management and reporting in times of crisis. OECD, 2020. [Online], available at: https://doi.org/10.1787/3f87c7d8-en. (Accessed 1 Feb 2021).
8. Stocktaking report on immediate public procurement and infrastructure responses to COVID-19. OECD. Publishing, Paris, 2020. [Online], available at:
http ://www. oecd. org/coronavirus/policyresponses/stoc ktaking-report-on-immediate-public-procurement-and-infrastructure-responsesto-covid-19-248d0646/. (Accessed 3 Feb 2021).
9. Burbela T. M., Kondratov S. I. Deiaki problemy reahuvannia na poshyrennia COVID-19 u konteksti zabezpechennia bezpeky ta stiikosti krytychnoi infrastruktury. Natsionalnyi instytut stratehichnykh doslidzhen. [Online], available at: https://niss.gov.ua/sites/default/files/2020-04/krytychna-infrastructura-pry-covid-19-1.pdf. (Accessed 5 Feb 2021).
