Indonesia's Chairmanship In ASEAN Opens Opportunities For Health Technology Exchange

Professor of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia (FKUI) Prof. Tjandra Yoga Aditama said that the exchange of health technology is one of the things that Indonesia can do in the health sector in the chairmanship of ASEAN this year.

"At least, there are seven things that can be done regarding the chairmanship of ASEAN, one of which is the exchange of health technology owned between ASEAN countries," said Tjandra, quoted from Antara, Saturday, June 24.

According to Tjandra, who is the former Director of Infectious Diseases of WHO Southeast Asia, this is important to do because each ASEAN country could have advantages of health technology in certain fields.

He also assessed that the exchange of health technology between ASEAN countries could be an effort to strengthen each other's technology that has been owned by each country.

"Whether there is a platform that describes the situation of each other's health technology, then strengthens each other to achieve ASEAN Health Resilience or ASEAN health security," he added.

In addition to exchanging health technology, Tjandra said other things that could be done in the Chairmanship of Indonesia in ASEAN, namely joint surveillance so that the ASEAN region always has data on the development of certain diseases from time to time.

"And if there is an increase, it will be dealt with immediately," he said.

Then, intensive health data exchange and communication, as well as exchange of information on health facilities and infrastructure in the ASEAN region that allows regional cooperation to occur.

"For example, if there is a country A can make diagnostic tools or certain vaccines or drugs, then other ASEAN countries can take advantage of them," said Tjandra.

He added that it is also important to discuss cooperation in the procurement of joint health needs in the Chairmanship of Indonesia in ASEAN.

"It means, jointly buying vaccines, diagnosis, or drugs, so that prices are more competitive," he said.

In addition, the Director of Postgraduates at YARSI University continued, through the Chairship in ASEAN, Indonesia can also cooperate with health resources (HR) between countries and cooperate to deal with certain health problems.

For information, in 2023, Indonesia will hold the chairmanship of ASEAN for the fifth time with the theme "ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth".

In chairing ASEAN this year, Indonesia's health sector prioritizes strengthening the regional health architecture through the One Health Initiative, which is motivated by the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic which has resulted in a multidimensional crisis and increased health vulnerability.