JAKARTA, 23 May 2022 – As the Chair of ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting (AHMM), Indonesia hosted the 15th AHMM and Related Meetings from 11-15 May in Bali, Indonesia, through a hybrid meeting format.
A total of 11 meetings and five side events were held, including the preparatory senior health officials meeting; retreat by the ASEAN health ministers; the health ministerial meetings of the ASEAN Member States, and separately with the Plus Three Countries, China, Republic of Korea (ROK) and United States (U.S.).
The over-all theme was “Advancing the Achievement of ASEAN Health Development” signifying the ASEAN Health Sector Cooperation entering the final phase of implementation of its ASEAN Post-2015 Health Development Agenda for 2016-2021.
The core discussions and agreements among the health ministers include (a) strengthening and scaling-up the prevention and preparedness, detection and response towards public health emergencies; (b) enhancing mitigation strategies to address current and future PHEs; (c) strengthen access to Vaccines, Therapeutics and Diagnostics and other essential medical supplies dedicated to general pandemic preparedness and response; and (e ) strengthening cooperation with external partners aligned with the 21 health priorities and health-related declarations/commitments of the ASEAN Health Sector.
Highlights from 15th AHMM and Related Meetings include:
The round-table discussion by the ASEAN Health Ministers revolved around “Building Regional Health System Resilience and Accelerating COVID-19 Recovery.”
Health ministers from ASEAN, China, Japan and ROK focused on “Optimising the Mobilisation of Essential Health Resources in Responding to Public Health Crisis.”
The meeting covered the topic of “Promoting One Health Approach to Prepare and Respond to Pandemics.”
ASEAN and ROK Health Ministers exchanged views on “Strengthening Health System for Sustainable Universal Health Coverage and Health Security for Resilient Health Systems.”
The theme of the meeting focused on “Charting ASEAN -U.S. Future Collaboration towards Strengthening Health Systems for Public Health Emergencies.”
Budi G Sadikin, Minister of Health of Indonesia chaired the Ministerial Meetings. In attendance were the seven health Ministers and three Vice Ministers from ASEAN; three Vice Ministers from Plus Three Countries; and the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services. Meanwhile the Regional Directors from WHO Offices from Southeast Asia Region and Wester Pacific Region participated virtually as observers.
