ASEAN Minister of Health Discusses Future Pandemic Mitigation

PIXABAY ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - The Minister of Health (Menkes) Budi Gunadi Sadikin presented the agenda for a meeting of health ministers in the ASEAN region in Jakarta, discussing future pandemic mitigation strategies.

"Today's meeting again marks a milestone in realizing health resilience in the ASEAN region after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the end of the COVID-19 pandemic," said Budi Gunadi Sadikin at a press conference for the ASEAN regional health ministers meeting reported by ANTARA, Friday, August 25.

The meeting entitled "The High-Level Meeting on Building a Sustainable and Resilient Future in the ASEAN Region: From Emergency Response to Long-Term COVID-19 Disease Management" was filled with dialogue activities around sharing experiences from regional organizations from various parts of the world such as the African Union, Group G20 Work 2023, WHO SEARO, G7 Health Working Group, and ASEAN Biodiaspora Virtual Center on their responses to preparing for and preventing potential future pandemics.

Budi said ASEAN countries also shared their readiness to cooperate in facing public health threats, including the Long COVID-19 threat.

As the leader in the meeting, Minister of Health Budi emphasized the importance of long-term management of COVID-19 disease. One of them is related to the speed of distribution of financial assistance within a few weeks during the pandemic crisis.

Budi also explained about the global standard monitoring mechanism, the availability of genome sequencing laboratories, and qualified human resources, including reserve health workers who are ready to be deployed.

"We have the opportunity to discuss potential investment and support for the ASEAN region to develop in a post-COVID-19 world," he said.

The forum also encourages collaborative monitoring of newly emerging infectious diseases, so that they can be prevented from becoming pandemics in the future.

Concrete mechanisms that can be carried out, said Budi, are efforts to increase access to countermeasures, prepare safe and measurable services, including integrating the COVID-19 clinical pathway that is related to other respiratory diseases, as well as long-term disease management.

"We also encourage public protection from infectious diseases, infodemics, and other threats, to ensure emergency coordination within the ASEAN region," he said.