Andrew Forsyth

Mr Forsyth has more than 25 years’ experience in various positions with the New Zealand Ministry of Health. His work focuses on the development and implementation of public health law.  In 2016/17 this included revising New Zealand's infectious disease legislation to include human rights principles.   

He has also been involved in New Zealand’s government level responses to a range of acute public health threats, including SARS in 2003, pandemic influenza in 2009, the Canterbury earthquake in 2011 and he has been involved involvement with New Zealand’s readiness activities for Ebola virus disease during 2014. During 2018 Mr Forsyth contributed to the Health-led, whole of government, engagement with WHO's Joint External Evaluation team.  He is currently leading the Health (Drinking Water) Amendment Bill through the Parliamentary process.  

He participated in the inter-governmental negotiations on the International Health Regulations during 2004 and 2005. Since then he has served as an adviser and consultant to WHO in various capacities relating to the implementation of the IHR 2005 and the Asia Pacific Strategy for Emerging Diseases and Public Health Emergencies, principally in the Western Pacific region.  

Mr Forsyth served on the following IHR Review Committees: Functioning of the International Health Regulations (2005) in relation to Pandemic (H1N1) 2009; Second Extensions for Establishing National Public Health Capacities and on IHR Implementation; Role of the International Health Regulations (2005) in the Ebola Outbreak and Response; and Amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005).