Overview
Some AMS also face the double burden of non-communicable and communicable and emerging infectious diseases. These are further complicated by the region’s vulnerability to natural hazards affecting the local communities especially the poorer segments of the population, and the increasing impacts of climate change. Inequitable access to affordable, appropriate and quality healthcare also remain an issue between and within AMS in the region.
As an ASEAN Community, Member States believe that efforts and resources of each national health system geared towards protecting and improving the health of their peoples will have maximum outcomes when done in a collaborative, complementary and synergistic manner. Since its official establishment as a regional cooperation in 1980, the ASEAN Health Sector, has gone a long way in protecting the region from high-impact public health emergencies or pandemics. Collectively, it continuously engages with populations in the prevention and control of specific health conditions, such as non-communicable diseases; enables health systems improvement; and, implements regional measures to support common gaps in ensuring safe, sustainable and healthy communities.
Prority Areas of Cooperation
The ASEAN Health Sector cooperates with other external partners to achieve a healthy and caring ASEAN Community, wherein the people achieve maximal health potential through the promotion of healthy lifestyles; responding to all hazards and emerging threats; strengthening health systems and access to care; and, ensuring food safety in the region. Other priorities for the ASEAN Health Sector also include universal access to quality care and financial risk protections, as well as ensuring sustainable inclusive development where health is incorporated in all policies.
ASEAN Health Development Agenda
Guided by the ASEAN Vision 2025 and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025, and aligned with global health directions and trends, the ASEAN Health Sector adopted the ASEAN Post-2015 Health Development Agenda (APHDA) which encapsulates the shared goals, strategies, priorities and programmes of the health sector between 2016-2020.
There are 42 health-related strategic measures in the ASCC Blueprint which are currently being operationalized through the APHDA and its ASEAN Health Cluster Work Programmes. To achieve the vision, mission and goals of the ASEAN Health Sector, the APHDA will focus the cooperation and resources to implement regional programme and project activities for the 20 Health Priorities overseen by four ASEAN Health Clusters.
- ASEAN Post-2015 Health Development Agenda for 2021 to 2025, The ASEAN Health Cluster Work Programmes is as follow:
- ASEAN Post-2015 Health Development Agenda for 2016 to 2020, The ASEAN Health Cluster Work Programmes is as follow:
ASEAN Health Sector Calendar
Major Sectoral Bodies/Committees
- ASEAN Health Ministers’ Meeting (AHMM) which determines the policies of ASEAN Health and endorses decisions and reports of SOMHD. It meets every two years, as well as organises special meetings as necessary to discuss urgent matters.
- ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting on Health Development (SOMHD) which is responsible for strategic management, and provides guidance on the overall implementation of the APHDA ensuring that all goals and targets are achieved. It is convened at least once a year, while special or additional meetings may be called to discuss urgent matters.
- ASEAN Health Clusters have been established to operationalise the APHDA. The four ASEAN Health Clusters oversee the implementation of the health-related policies and strategic direction set by the AHMM and SOMHD. These are accomplished through the respective Work Programmes from each of the ASEAN Health Clusters. Regional programmes, projects and initiatives addressing the relevant Health Priority needs and gaps common to all the ten AMS are strategically implemented through the lead Ministry of Health with the support of the Health Division of ASEAN Secretariat.
Regional Strategies
- ASEAN Public Health Emergency Coordination System (APHECS) Framework
- Regional Guide to Develop and Strengthen National Pesticide Residue Monitoring Programmes in AMS
- ASEAN Action Plan for Combating Substandard and Falsified Medicines (SFM)
- Plan of Action to Implement the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Disaster Health Management (2019-2025)
- ASEAN Strategic Framework to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance through One Health Approach [2019-2030]
- Regional Strategic and Action Plan for AVSSR 2021-2025
- 2016. ASEAN Rabies Elimination Strategy (ARES) 2014-2023
- 2008. Strengthening Cooperation and Information Sharing on Rabies among ASEAN Plus Three Countries – Call For Action Towards the Elimination of Rabies in ASEAN Member States, and the Plus Three Countries, Ha Long Viet Nam
Regional Reports
- 2025. Summary Report of Development and Implementation of the Regional Guide to Develop and Strengthen National Pesticide Residue Monitoring Programmes in ASEAN Member States
- 2024. Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Report 2023 – Measuring Progress of The ASEAN Strategic Framework to Combat Antimicrobial Resistance Through One Health Approach (ASF-AMR)
- 2024. The ASEAN Vaccine Capacity Survey (AVCS) – Assessment Report
- 2023. Joint Report on the Situational Analyses of ASEAN Primary Health Care and Traditional and Complementary Medicine Capacities: Towards the Enhancement of Quality Health Care through Primary Health Care Capacities in ASEAN Member States
- 2023. Migration and Health in ASEAN: Regional Case Studies
- 2023. ASEAN Tobacco Control Report 2015 – 2020
- 2023. Situational Analysis and Feasibility of Regional Collaboration to Improve ASEAN Drug Security and Self-Reliance (ADSSR)
- 2022. Framework for the Development and Implementation of Fiscal Measures on Sweet Beverages to Promote Health in ASEAN Member States
- 2022. Rapid Assessment of the Regulatory Measures in Combating Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in the ASEAN Region
- 2022. ASEAN Framework for Action on Alcohol Control
- 2022. ASEAN Food and Nutrition Security Report 2021 Volume 2 –Food and Nutrition Security Country Profiles
- 2022. Guidelines and Minimum Standards for the Protection, Promotion and Support of Breastfeeding and Complementary Feeding
- 2022. ASEAN Food and Nutrition Security Report 2021 Volume 1
- 2022. Assessment of Consumer Participation and Empowerment Program on Food Safety in ASEAN Member States
- 2016. Regional Report on Nutrition Security in ASEAN, Volume 1
- 2016. Regional Report on Nutrition Security in ASEAN, Volume 2
- 2016. ASEAN Mental Health Systems
- 2016. Second ASEAN Regional Report on HIV and AIDS
- 2014. ASEAN Regional Guideline for Minimum Requirement for Training and Accreditation of Skilled Birth Attendants (SBA)
- 2014 Second Tobacco Control Report
- 2014. Updated ASEAN Health Profile Regional Priorities and Programmes 2011-2015
- 2011. First Regional Report on HIV and AIDS
- 2012. ASEAN Tobacco Control Report
- ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration of Commitment on ASEAN Drug Security and Self-Reliance (ADSSR)
- ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Promoting the Small and Medium-sized Cultural Enterprises aligned with the Green Growth for Sustainable Development
- ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Disaster Health Management
- ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on ASEAN Vaccine Security and Self-Reliance
- ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Ending all Forms of Malnutrition
- ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): Combating AMR through One Health Approach
Other Publications
- ASEAN Post-2015 Health Development Agenda (APHDA) (2021-2025)
- ASEAN Declaration of Commitment on HIV and AIDS: Fast-Tracking and Sustaining HIV and AIDS Responses To End the AIDS Epidemic by 2030
- ASEAN Declaration of Commitment: Getting to Zero New HIV Infections, Zero Discrimination, Zero AIDS-Related Deaths
- Nusa Dua Call for Action on ASEAN Getting to Zeros City-based Network on Ending AIDS
- ASEAN Vaccine Baseline Survey
- 2021. ASEAN Follow up Assessment
- 2020. Total Aflatoxins (AFT) and Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) through the Consumption of Peanut and Corn
- 2019. Best Practices in ASEAN: Strengthening Health System and Access to Care
- 2014. ASEAN Good Practices and New Initiatives in HIV and AIDS
2. ASEAN EOC Network Newsletter
The ASEAN Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Network Newsletter is a platform for the dissemination and sharing of progress of the ‘ASEAN EOC Network Development and Activities Project’, a regional initiative of the ASEAN Health Cooperation led by Malaysia through the Disease Control Division, Ministry of Health. The Newsletter also aims to profile public health emergency operations centres of ASEAN Member States, such as their evolution and establishment, structure and capabilities, operational experience and future priorities among others.
A component of the Mitigation of Biological Threats (Phase 2) under the ASEAN – Canada’s Global Partnership Programme cooperation, the Project will be implemented from February 2019 – March 2022.
Press Statements
- 2011. Statement by H.E. Dr. R. M. Marty M. Natalegawa, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Republic of Indonesia, at the Plenary of the High-level Meeting on “Non-communicable Diseases: Prevention and Control” United Nations General Assembly New York, 19 September 2011
- 2011. Getting to “ZERO” in ASEAN: Responses, Gaps, Challenges and Ways Forward-Statements of ASEAN Task Force on AIDS (ATFOA) Delivered by Chairperson, Brunei Darussalam on 31 March 2011, Asia and Pacific Regional Consultation on Universal Access to HIV Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support: ‘Getting to Zero’ Bangkok, Thailand.
- 2009. Chairman’s Press Statement of the ASEAN+3 Health Ministers’ Special Meeting on Influenza A (H1N1) Bangkok Thailand, 8 May 2009
Press Releases
- ASEAN to strengthen its health response to disasters
- ASEAN Health Ministers respond to Zika virus
- Improving ASEAN Healthcare Through Medical Device Regulation Harmonization, 2 May 2013
- Message on the World AIDS Day, 1 December 2012
- ASEAN forges new partnerships with women and girls to meet HIV goals, 28 September 2012
- Consultative Meeting on HIV and Key Affected Women and Girls: Reducing Intimate Partner Transmission of HIV Within ASEAN, 25 September 2012
- Twelve ASEAN Cities Ready for Fight Against AIDS, 19 July 2012
- ASEAN Secretary-General: Health and Education Key to a Strong ASEAN Community 2015, 18 July 2012
- Health Ministers Discuss Opportunities and Challenges of ASEAN Community 2015, Phuket, 6 July 2012
ASEAN HEALTH NETWORKS
ASEAN HEALTH PARTNERS
Dialogue Partners
Development Partners
- Joint UN Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS)
- UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
- World Health Organisation (WHO)
Regional Organisations
Situational Analysis
Report: as of 14 September 2023
Statement: Joint Statement of the 15th ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting, 14 May 2022, Bali, Indonesia
The ASEAN Health Sector immediately responded to the threat of a growing outbreak, as soon as it received the report from China, in early January, of unexplained pneumonia clusters in Wuhan. Existing national and regional mechanisms were activated to detect, prevent, and respond to the new coronavirus disease.
ASEAN, as a regional body, stepped up national responses and regional cooperation, complementing the World Health Organization (WHO) declaration of a COVID-19 pandemic on 11 March. including other nations with weaker health systems are among the hardest hit by COVID-19.
WHO addressed the growing outbreak affecting China and nearby countries and first declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30 January 2020. Prior to this declaration, six ASEAN Member States had already confirmed their first cases. By late March, all 10 Member States of ASEAN had been affected by the pandemic, as declared by WHO on 11 March 2020.
As each ASEAN Member State confirmed its first case, national prevention and control strategies were launched to initially contain the outbreak. These included public health measures on preparedness, prevention, control, detection, and response including public health advisories such as the promotion of frequent hand washing, appropriate use of masks, proper way of coughing and sneezing, and other ways of personal hygiene and sanitation.
Given the nature of the new coronavirus, innumerable data and information gaps were identified. Most critical were on how to appropriately and effectively prevent, detect, and respond to the spread of the disease; and how cases should be managed both in public health and clinical-health settings.
Regional health mechanisms were activated promptly to support national measures and to respond to the gaps as well as promote knowledge and information exchange in a timely manner.
The region and the world are now reeling from the pandemic’s negative impact, on economies and people’s livelihoods. This has necessitated a whole-of-government and multi-sectoral approach for each nation affected by COVID-19. In ASEAN, the pandemic has forged stronger regional cooperation and coordination among its Member States and partners.
The Initial Response to COVID-19:A Timeline of Regional Interventions
There has been a sense of urgency in addressing the growing crisis by showing the early and sustained regional response of the ASEAN Health Sector and Dialogue Partners, with the support of ASEAN Secretariat, as well as the interventions of non-health sectors, to address COVID-19.
This timeline presents an overview of the events that occurred in reaction to the initial disease outbreaks in China, Japan, Republic of Korea and ASEAN Member States. The ASEAN Health Sector has put emphasis on understanding the technical nature of the new coronavirus and how to adequately address this based on the experiences of the ASEAN Plus Three Countries: China, Republic of Korea, and Japan.
- Joint Statement Special Video Conference of Health Ministers of ASEAN and The United States in Enhancing Cooperation on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) Response
- Joint Statement Special Video Conference of The ASEAN Health Ministers in Enhancing Cooperation on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) Response
Guided by the ASEAN Post-2015 Health Development Agenda (APHDA) and its Governance and Implementation Mechanism (GIM), the ASEAN Health Sector Cooperation deployed and operationalized the established and existing health mechanisms for technical exchanges, information sharing, and updates on policy-related measures in responding to COVID-19.
Employing an all hazards approach through the whole-of-health-system and whole-of-government approach, the ASEAN Health Sector addressed the COVID-19 threat in the whole spectrum of preparedness, detection, mitigation, and response measures through the various health platforms. All ASEAN Member States through the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Health Development (SOMHD) and SOMHD Plus Three reaffirmed their commitment to further enhance coordination and cooperation to control the spread of the COVID-19.
Since health officials from China shared the first information on the disease, the ASEAN Emergency Operations Centre Network for public health emergencies (ASEAN EOC Network), led by Malaysia, and with the support of ASEAN Secretariat had been sharing daily situational updates. They also provide information on prevention, detection and response measures to the ASEAN Senior Officials for Health Development (SOMHD) of ASEAN and China, Japan and Republic of Korea (Plus Three Countries), as well as to Contact Points of the ASEAN EOC Network and the ASEAN Plus Three Field Epidemiology Training Network (ASEAN+3 FETN). This is on top of the real-time information sharing through mobile instant messaging within the ASEAN EOC Network consisting of Disease Prevention and Control officials of ASEAN Member States.
The ASEAN BioDioaspora Regional Virtual Centre (ABVC) for big data analytics and visualisation complements the national risk assessments, readiness and response planning efforts. ABVC, led by the Philippines, recently produced reports on Risk Assessment for International Dissemination of COVID-19 across ASEAN Region. The reports provide high-level situational overview globally; the risk profile for the potential spread of the virus in the ASEAN region based on prospective flight data; and the need for mitigation measures against virus importation at international points of entry/exit.
The initiatives carried out by the ASEAN EOC Network and the ASEAN BioDiaspora Virtual Centre are part of the Mitigation of Biological Threats Programme Phase 2 implemented in cooperation with the Canada’s Weapons Threat Reduction Programme, previously known as the Global Partnership Programme.
On February 3rd, 2020, the ASEAN Plus Three SOMHD attended by all ASEAN Member States and Plus Three Countries, also World Health Organization (WHO) representatives gathered together through Video Conference platform to share the current situation in all Countries, sharing of technical expertise and lessons in detection of COVID-19, and preparedness measures undertaken by all Countries.
WHO declared the COVID-19 as the Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on 30 January 2020, among others, to further strengthen Country’s health system and to establish international coordination and cooperation to mitigate the international dissemination of the COVID-19.
The ASEAN Plus Three SOMHD give credence to the existing mechanism in the ASEAN Health sector and its engagement with other regional and global platform.
- ASEAN Plus Three Senior Officials Meeting for Health Development (APT SOMHD) currently chaired by Cambodia
- ASEAN Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) Network led by Malaysia
- ASEAN Plus Three Field Epidemiology Training Network (ASEAN+3 FETN) currently chaired by Malaysia and coordinated by Thailand;
- ASEAN BioDiaspora Virtual Centre for big data analytics and visualization (ABVC) led by Philippines;
- ASEAN Risk Assessment and Risk Communication Centre (ARARC) led by Malaysia;
- Public health laboratories network under the purview of ASEAN Health Cluster 2 on Responding to All Hazards and Emerging Threats; and,
- Regional Public Health Laboratories Network (RPHL) led by Thailand through the Global Health Security Agenda platform
The ASEAN Plus Three SOMHD Special Video Conference was concluded with reaffirmation of the commitment reiterated in the 8th ASEAN Plus Three Health Ministers Meeting, to continue our efforts on the implementation of International Health Regulation (IHR), Asia Pacific Strategy for Emerging Diseases and Public Health Emergencies (APSED III) to enhance AMS and Plus Three countries’ capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to public health threats. In sustaining the progress made, there is further need to strengthen: (1) combating antimicrobial resistance, food safety and zoonotic disease control, (2) inter-sectoral communications and information-sharing including the regular sharing of outbreak investigation reports between human and other relevant sectors, and (3) existing inter-sectoral mechanism, which includes Development Partners, to oversee IHR core capacity development within AMS and Plus Three countries.
Related Press Release
- ASEAN, China, Japan, Korea epidemiology experts share disease surveillance experiences on COVID-19
- ASEAN, China enhance cooperation on COVID-19 pandemic response
- ASEAN health sector sustains cooperation in responding to COVID-19
- ASEAN Plus Three senior health officials reaffirm cooperation to stop spread of 2019-nCoV
- ASEAN senior health officials enhance regional collective actions against COVID-19 pandemic
The ASEAN EOC Network for public health led by Ministry of Health Malaysia, provided a platform among ASEAN Member States officials working at the respective Crisis Centre and/or disease prevention and control, to share information in timely manner through various mechanism of communication.
Rapid and daily communication among the members such as sharing of information on the new confirmed cases and any measures taken at the national level is currently done through the WhatsApp mobile application. Daily and regular email communication is also being done to share updates given by ASEAN Member States and Plus Three Countries through the Health Division, ASEAN Secretariat on any new confirmed cases and press release issued by the Member States.
The ASEAN EOC Network produced a compilation of National/local Hotline/Call Centre in ASEAN Member States for COVID-19 which was shared to public through the Social-media platform of ASEAN. Also, ASEAN Member States dedicated a web-page to share any updates on the COVID-19 in their respective Ministry of Health webpage.
Related Press Release
- Brunei Darussalam: http://www.moh.gov.bn/SitePages/COVID-19.aspx
- Cambodia: http://www.cdcmoh.gov.kh/
- Indonesia: http://infeksiemerging.kemkes.go.id/
- Malaysia: http://www.moh.gov.my/ncov2019
- Myanmar: http://mohs.gov.mm/Main/content/publication/2019-ncov
- Philippines: https://www.doh.gov.ph/2019-nCoV
- Singapore: https://www.gov.sg/features/2019-ncov
- Thailand: https://ddc.moph.go.th/viralpneumonia/intro.php
- Viet Nam: https://ncov.moh.gov.vn/
- China: http://en.nhc.gov.cn
- Japan : https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/newpage_00032.html
- Republic of Korea: https://www.cdc.go.kr/cdc_eng/
Clinicians and health experts under the PHEOC Network from ASEAN Member States and China conducted a special video conference which was held that focused on exchange practices and challenges in the clinical management of the COVID-19 cases and how to mitigate its impact to communities.
The participants participants stressed the importance of the development of workflow protocols that cover identification, isolation, de-isolation of suspects and confirmed cases, including treatment algorithms.
Related Press Release
The ASEAN BioDiaspora program is a real-time web-based risk assessment tools, linking multiple datasets including air travel data, demography data of ASEAN Member States, human population density, animal populations, industrialization and utility distribution, vector locations, and other relevant datasets. The ASEAN BioDiaspora comprised of two different tools namely 1) The Explorer Tool and 2) The Insights Tool.
The Explorer Tool empowers public health with big data and advanced analytics to track and assess infectious disease threats anywhere in the world. The tool literally illustrates how disease may move around the world. Further, it demonstrates where the disease event is, the suitability of a local transmission, the factors driving disease spread, how connected the outbreak locations are with the rest of the world and what could happen if a case is imported. This web application allows users to interact with the information in a variety of ways.
The Insights Tool empowers healthcare organizations with contextualized insights about global infectious disease threats to manage risk. In addition to the Explorer information generated, Insights demonstrates which disease events are relevant to national and regional locations, the risk of disease exportation or importation, possible spread to the selected location, and disease information.
The ABVC in timely manner produced series of Risk Assessment (RA) Report for International Dissemination of COVID-19. The RA provided highlights and situational overview of the COVID-19, timeline of international dissemination, public health outlook and the risk of importation through air travel from the ground zero Wuhan as well as China to ASEAN Member States.
The RA was able provided public health officials with air-travel data volume in order to take the necessary measures for the potential dissemination of disease through the air-travel. It also provided information on cases and fatality cases related to COVID-19 and travel advisories among ASEAN Member States in response to COVID-19.
Link to the Risk Assessment Report
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