The main focus of the Health Emergency Management (HEM) program is to ensure that the provincial health system maintains a state of readiness to respond to and recover from an operational disruption or disaster event. The HEM program supports Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services (NLHS) and facilitates the coordination of the support activities of other levels of government, departments, agencies and organizations at the provincial level during an event.

In the event of an emergency, the HEM program provides coordination and support for the provincial health response, including:

• The resumption of the Department of Health and Community Services critical programs, operations and services within a specified timeframe following a disruption or disaster;
• The provision of provincial direction and support to NLHS as required;
• The coordination of an inter-regional, provincial response by the health sector;
• The coordination of the provincial health emergency management response within the provincial response structure; and,
• The coordination with Federal / Provincial / Territorial ministries of health.