Asean to set up regional public health agency, says Indonesian health minister

JAKARTA, May 15 (Jakarta POst/ANN): Asean countries have agreed on the establishment of a regional body to detect diseases that have the potential to become the next pandemic, as well as to synchronise regional health protocols to prevent the spread of communicable diseases in the region.

The 15th Asean Health Ministers Meeting has agreed on establishing the Asean Centre of Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases (ACPHEED), which will address three pillars of pandemic management: detection; surveillance; and response and risk management.