Japan will commit to help funding the ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases (ACPHEED) as a preparatory measure against a potential new pandemic, Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated.
During the 15th ASEAN Health Ministers’ Meeting online press conference on Sunday evening, he noted that in general, ACPHEED’s work principle was similar to the United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“This center guides the capability and capacity from the entire ASEAN to prepare themselves in case there is a potential new pandemic,” he explained.
The plan to establish ACPHEED will be implemented this year, Sadikin remarked.
“It is expected that the inking of the establishment agreement will take place this September at the latest,” he noted.
ACPHEED’s work division, authority, and founding mission had already been agreed upon, he noted. Three pillars that form the ACPHEED are surveillance or detection, response, and management risk.
The minister explained that the ASEAN nations chose aspects that they are capable of as their pillars. He is of the view that ASEAN’s surveillance is quite strong.
Earlier, all health ministers in the ASEAN agreed to form the ACPHEED as the association’s collaboration center to handle extraordinary events and pandemics in the future.
ACPHEED’s three pillars will be supported by three ASEAN representative countries that work together under one umbrella: Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia.
“There will be collaboration between the three countries. They will build the office in their respective countries for the three existing pillars,” Sadikin remarked.
At the press conference, the minister also noted that ASEAN health ministers cooperate with the United States to develop and strengthen the health system.
During the ASEAN-US Health Minister Level Meeting special session, the health ministers agree to discuss and adopt the ASEAN-US Reference Framework and to develop a three-year work plan, he stated.
Source: Antara News