THE INSIDE VIEW the ASEAN Regional COVID-19 Response
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The SPECIAL EDITION A SEAN NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2020 ISSN 2721-8058 THE INSIDE VIEW CONVERSATIONS VIEWPOINT The ASEAN Regional Living Through WHO DIRECTOR-GENERAL COVID-19 Response The Pandemic Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD “Canada’s Weapons Threat Reduction Program deeply values its impactful collaboration with the ASEAN Health Sector through the Mitigation of Biological Threats Program. This collaboration has meaningfully enhanced the capacity of ASEAN partners to prevent, detect, and respond to all manner of biological threats, whether natural, accidental, or deliberate in origin.” Diedrah Kelly Ambassador, Mission of Canada to ASEAN Read the full article on page 30 Contents 3 17 Secretary-General of ASEAN Dato Lim Jock Hoi IN THIS ISSUE Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Special Edition: Kung Phoak Stronger Health EDITORIAL BOARD Directors of ASCC Directorates Systems, Our Rodora T. Babaran, Lifeline in Ky-Anh Nguyen A Pandemic Assistant Directors of ASCC Divisions Ferdinal Fernando, Containment Measures Jonathan Tan, Across ASEAN 9 Mary Anne Therese Manuson, Mega Irena, Riyanti Djalante, ASEAN COVID-19 Sita Sumrit, Vong Sok Response: An Overview 11 ASEAN Center for Public EDITORIAL TEAM Editor-in-Chief Health Emergencies and Viewpoint Conversations Mary Kathleen Quiano-Castro Emerging Diseases 14 Associate Editor National Vaccine Security and Ltg. (Ret) Terawan Disa Edralyn, MD Joanne B. Agbisit Self-Reliance on the Pandemic Agus Putranto, MD, PhD Doctor, COVID-19 Survivor 40 Staff Writer Influenza Preparedness in Novia D. Rulistia Former Minister of Health, Indonesia Jonas Elmer Balneg Thailand 23 Senior Officer, Analysis Division and Chair of the ASEAN Health Registered Nurse 41 Ministers Meeting 6 Kiran Sagoo Regional Collaborative Strategy Paul Nyan Myint Soe for ASEAN Drug Security and Chiba Akira COVID-19 Survivor, Business EDITORIAL ADDRESS Self-Reliance 26 Ambassador, Mission of Japan Director 43 The ASEAN Secretariat ASEAN Socio-Cultural Regional Health Chart 28 to ASEAN 16 Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala Community Department Digital Technologies to Tedros Adhanom Advocate for Breast Cancer Literacy Jalan Sisingamangaraja 70A Strengthen Health Systems 33 Ghebreyesus, PhD and Early Detection, Journalist 44 Jakarta 12110, Indonesia Director-General, WHO 18 Tel: 62-21-7262991 Dy Sophorn Mental Health in a Post- E-mail: [email protected] Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, PhD pandemic ASEAN 36 Primary School Teacher 49 Board Chair, Gavi, The Vaccine Peter Thipommajan ISSN 2721-8058 Building Back Better: Towards Alliance 21 Non-profit Founder and a Community-wide Recovery 46 Diedrah Kelly Coordinator 50 Understanding the COVID-19 Ambassador, Mission of Canada Melvin Chew Effects on ASEAN Livelihood 48 to ASEAN Hawker Stall Owner 51 Universal and Gender- ASEAN Plans to Boost Travel Issue 6 Responsive Health Care: Samak Kosem Amid a Pandemic. Here’s How. 58 https://bit.ly/ Artist and Researcher 52 Lessons from Canada 30 TheASEAN_V6 A Landmark Summit to Mark Ain Bandial an Extraordinary Year 61 Culture and Identity The ASEAN’s past issues Peter Schoof, PhD Digital Media Company are available at asean.org Amidst the Pandemic, ASEAN German Ambassador to Indonesia, Co-Founder, Journalist 53 Continues to Strengthen ASEAN and Timor-Leste Nguyen Qui Duc External Engagements 63 The Power of Storytelling Business Owner, Arts Advocate, ASEAN Leads the Way: The and Implementing the ASEAN Writer 54 Regional Comprehensive Communication Master Plan 70 Nadira Ramli and Economic Partnership 65 Bringing ASEAN to the People, Syed Abdul Rahman ASCC Meetings 68 One Story At A Time 73 Pilots, Entrepreneurs 56 Cover Illustration by Jojo Limpo 4 Message from the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN Message from the Deputy Secretary-General weaknesses in our nations’ health sharpened focus on post-pandemic systems. This Special Edition looks recovery, with initiatives that include into the initiatives that will enhance the COVID-19 Recovery Framework health systems and enable countries and the ASEAN COVID-19 Response to respond better to future outbreaks Fund. The establishment of the ASEAN and pandemics while providing Centre on Public Health Emergencies quality healthcare. and Emerging Diseases, which is supported by Japan, was also The ASEAN produced this edition announced at the sidelines of with valuable support from Canada’s the Summit. This initiative will government, ASEAN’s partner in the build the region’s capacity to health sector. prevent and respond to another public health emergency. Our distinguished contributors and experts weigh in on various ASEAN caps 2020 with the signing of aspects of healthcare—the universal the Regional Comprehensive Economic and timely delivery of health services, Partnership Agreement, a landmark the availability of safe and affordable trade pact that will be the world’s The world started 2020 with the drugs and vaccines, training and largest once it takes effect. alarming news of an unidentified development of health workers, disease. COVID-19 turned into upgrading infrastructure, and The pandemic is a defining moment a global pandemic that would adopting digital technologies. in history, a collective experience that exact a devastating toll on lives has altered the lives of ASEAN people, and livelihoods. The impact of the pandemic and will shape the policy landscape of goes beyond the health sector, ASEAN and its individual members for The year concludes with promising and it has spared no one. In our years to come. It is imperative to tell reports of vaccines that may soon region, thousands have lost their and record this story from multiple be available to help slow down the lives; millions are out of jobs; lenses, not only from the perspective spread of the disease. The collective businesses are forced to close of our leaders and policymakers, but effort to find successful vaccine down. This year’s uncertainties have also from people from all walks of life. candidates in such a short time put a toll on people’s well-being, and Narratives serve home truths, provoke is unprecedented. It speaks of the it underscores the need to address reflections and insights, inspire solutions, power of collaboration when the goal mental health as an integral part of and create hope and optimism. is for the common good. The difficult primary healthcare. The conversations task of ensuring the affordable and with people across the region reflect The magazine is grateful to the equitable distribution of vaccines, their struggles and hopes as they Government of India’s support that however, still lies ahead. cope with this year’s tremendous has allowed us to continue sharing and unforeseen changes. these ASEAN narratives. In January, ASEAN quickly activated regional health mechanisms that Inevitably, the pandemic’s socio- I share everyone’s hopes that the start of would support the Member States’ economic impact dominated the 2021 will write a better and kinder story. COVID-19 response measures. discussion during the 37th ASEAN There have been successes in the Summit and Related Summits. With Kung Phoak containment, but the pandemic’s Viet Nam as Chair, ASEAN navigated Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for impact has exposed the gaps and through this challenging year with a the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community The ASEAN November–December 2020 ASEAN’s COVID-19 response and the need to build stronger health systems Ensuring national health systems are well prepared and resilient all starts by recognising health as a fundamental human right, which means a commitment to health for all. –Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General COVAX is a model for international cooperation that shows governments can put aside national interests in the pursuit of a goal greater than any one of them could achieve on their own. –Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Board Chair, Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance The lessons learned from this pandemic include the need to stimulate health system reform and build resilient health systems in anticipation of future outbreaks and pandemics. –Ltg. (Ret) Terawan Agus Putranto, MD, PhD, Former Minister of Health, Indonesia © People Image Studio/Shutterstock Photo Credit: 6 Special Edition Viewpoint: Ltg. (Ret) Terawan Agus Putranto, MD, PhD Former Minister of Health, Indonesia and Chair of the ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting (AHMM) In early December, Former Health Minister Putranto addressed The ASEAN's questions on the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of strengthening health systems and the AHMM's initiatives to help Member States respond to future outbreaks and pandemics. Indonesia chairs the AHMM from 2020 to 2022. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored made the burden even harder. Due to the importance of a strong health system the rapid increase of infections, the ASEAN that is accessible to all. In what ways has Member States also encountered massive Within the framework of the ASEAN the pandemic affected thehealth strain in health financing which led to Post-2015 Health Development systems of Member States? prioritising their national budget Agenda, what are the plans and Minister Putranto: I believe that at the for the handling of COVID-19. priorities of Indonesia as Chair outset of the crisis, there was no country, of AHMM for 2020-2021? including the ASEAN Member States, Eventually, we realised that the pandemic Minister Putranto: As the deadline for that was well prepared for this COVID-19 has affected every country irrespective the ASEAN Post-2015 Health Development