The 16th ASEAN Health Ministers’ Meeting was held yesterday at the National Convention Centre in Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic. Attendees included health ministers from ASEAN member countries, the Myanmar delegation led by Union Minister for Health Dr Thet Khaing Win, the Myanmar ambassador to Laos, senior health officials, and representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat.
At the opening ceremony, ASEAN Health Sector Alternate Chair Mr Bounfeng Phoummalaysith, Minister of Health of Lao People’s Democratic Republic, and the Deputy ASEAN Secretary-General delivered welcome speeches. Following the opening, the ASEAN Smoke-Free Award was presented by the Laotian Minister in collaboration with the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance and the ASEAN Secretariat. The award was received by the director of non-communicable diseases at the Myanmar Ministry of Health and the head of the Public Health Department of Bagan NyaungU District.
Attendees, including ASEAN Health Ministers, ASEAN Secretariat officials, and ambassadors to Lao, also participated in the 57th ASEAN anniversary celebration and took a group photo.
The meeting, themed “Building a Strong Health System by Improving the Health Care Capacity for Epidemics”, focused on current health challenges. Dr Thet Khaing Win highlighted that the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed both weaknesses and strengths in global health systems, including in the ASEAN region. The meeting emphasized the need to strengthen health systems to address health challenges, manage rising healthcare demands, enhance health worker capacity, build resilient health infrastructure, increase diagnostic laboratories, and ensure the timely availability of essential medicines and vaccines. Additionally, there is a need to accelerate cooperation in promoting healthy lifestyles and preventing non-communicable diseases, as well as collaborating on infectious disease management and sharing best practices among member countries.
The joint declaration of the 16th ASEAN Health Ministers’ Meeting was approved, with participation from health ministers, deputy ministers, high-ranking officials from ASEAN countries, the WHO Regional Director for Southeast Asia, the Western Pacific Regional Director, the Deputy ASEAN Secretary-General, and other key officials. — MNA/ TKO
