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:

• 15th AHMM and AHMM Retreat

The round-table discussion by the ASEAN Health Ministers revolved around “Building Regional Health System Resilience and Accelerating COVID-19 Recovery.”

• 9th ASEAN Plus Three Health Ministers Meeting

Health ministers from ASEAN, China, Japan and ROK focused on “Optimising the Mobilisation of Essential Health Resources in Responding to Public Health Crisis.”

• 9th ASEAN China Health Ministers Meeting

The meeting covered the topic of “Promoting One Health Approach to Prepare and Respond to Pandemics.”

• 1st ASEAN-ROK Health Ministers Meeting

ASEAN and ROK Health Ministers exchanged views on “Strengthening Health System for Sustainable Universal Health Coverage and Health Security for Resilient Health Systems.”

• ASEAN-United States Special Session Health Ministerial Meeting

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.