A resident of Bangkok receives a COVID-19 jab (Photo: XINHUA/VNA)Jakarta (VNA) – The ASEAN Finance and Health Ministerial Meeting (AFHMM) took place in Jakarta, Indonesia on August 24, aimingto discuss effective measures to deal with future pandemics.
The meeting is intended to foster coordinationbetween finance and health officials, thereby responding promptly andeffectively to challenges caused by future pandemics as well as sharingexperience among ASEAN member countries, Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyanisaid at a press conference organised on the same day.
The meeting reaffirmed the need to boost national investment and explore other innovative financingschemes by partnering with international actors to support the implementationof the ASEAN Leaders' Declaration on the "One Health" initiative, Mulyani said.
Italso highlighted the commitment to improving the regional health architectureafter the COVID-19 pandemic to strengthen resilience in the ASEAN Communitybased on the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework (ACRF).
During the event, ASEAN ministers agreed to accelerate the developmentof the ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergency and Emerging Diseases(ACPHEED), with the objective of collecting funds for anticipating the pandemic. The ACPHEED will also serve as a regional hub tohelp ASEAN countries tackle and respond to public health emergencies and otheremerging infectious diseases.
Results of the meeting will be submitted to the 43rd ASEAN Summit thatwill take place in Jakarta on September 5-7, she said./.
