US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the launch ceremony (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) — US Vice President Kamala Harris launched the US Centers forDisease Control and Prevention (CDC) Southeast Asia Regional Office in Hanoi ata ceremony on August 25 during her three-day visit to the country.
The office, based in Ngo Quyen street in downtown Hanoi, is one of the CDC’s four in the world, together with the East Europe/Central Asia office in Gruzia, the Middle East/North Africa office in Oman, and the South America office in Brazil.
It will strengthen the CDC’s ability to meet its mission of protecting Americansand people of the region by responding more rapidly to health threats whereverthey occur and building key relationships to tackle shared health priorities.
Speaking at the ceremony, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh saidthat over the past 20 years, health care cooperation has been a highlight inthe ties between the US and the region and this is also a key area ofcooperation in the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership.
“Wewelcome the US decision to open this office in Hanoi to show thedevelopment and vast potential of the Vietnam-US comprehensivepartnership. Vietnam will create every condition possible for the effectiveoperation of this office,” he said.
The US’s CDC regional office in Hanoi will work closely with partnerswithin and outside the region in pursuit of the crucial goal of ensuring thebest health care services for the people, he added.
US Vice President Kamala Harris said it is one of four such offices in theentire world, and a true testament for the US’s commitment to this importantregion.
“In this new era, our world is interconnected andinterdependent. Partnership is therefore essential. We must all be willing totake on the challenges together. Let's take them on together to createopportunities together. That is why we launch this CDC office and our worktogether is so very important.”
The US has pledged 500,000 USD to the ASEAN COVID-19Response Fund to support the purchase of more vaccines and provided more than 150million USD in emergency assistance to the region, she said.
“With the launch of this office, we intend to build on these efforts and helpto grow the public health infrastructure across Southeast Asia,” the VicePresident said.
“We are working to train health professionals in the field of epidemiology. Andthat training programme has actually been in place in Asia since 1980.
“We are also investing in research and supporting the creation of emergencymanagement systems. And we are working with all of you to develop the nextgeneration of healthcare professionals.”
The Southeast Asia regional office is led by a Regional Directorwho is the most senior CDC official in the region and serves as the CDCDirector’s representative, responsible for ensuring a coordinated and cohesiveapproach to the agency’s global health strategy.
An initial priority for the Southeast Asia regional office is the coordinationof COVID-19 activities across the region, with support from Coronavirus Aid,Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding.
Priority areas of focus also include expanding regional publichealth laboratory training, developing innovative programmes to improve healthfor mobile and migrant populations, and expanding the reach of One Health(animal health) operations in and across countries in the region.
It also prioritises working towards the elimination of diseasessuch as measles, rabies, and malaria, and supporting US Government foreignpolicy initiatives in the region including the Indo-Pacific Strategy, US ASEANHealth Future, and the Lower Mekong Initiative.
Southeast Asia comprises of 11 countries and is home toover 687 million people and has a long history of working on health securityissues because of significant experiences with emerging infectious diseases./.
The office, based in Ngo Quyen street in downtown Hanoi, is one of the CDC’s four in the world, together with the East Europe/Central Asia office in Gruzia, the Middle East/North Africa office in Oman, and the South America office in Brazil.
It will strengthen the CDC’s ability to meet its mission of protecting Americansand people of the region by responding more rapidly to health threats whereverthey occur and building key relationships to tackle shared health priorities.
Speaking at the ceremony, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh saidthat over the past 20 years, health care cooperation has been a highlight inthe ties between the US and the region and this is also a key area ofcooperation in the Vietnam-US comprehensive partnership.
“Wewelcome the US decision to open this office in Hanoi to show thedevelopment and vast potential of the Vietnam-US comprehensivepartnership. Vietnam will create every condition possible for the effectiveoperation of this office,” he said.
The US’s CDC regional office in Hanoi will work closely with partnerswithin and outside the region in pursuit of the crucial goal of ensuring thebest health care services for the people, he added.
US Vice President Kamala Harris said it is one of four such offices in theentire world, and a true testament for the US’s commitment to this importantregion.
“In this new era, our world is interconnected andinterdependent. Partnership is therefore essential. We must all be willing totake on the challenges together. Let's take them on together to createopportunities together. That is why we launch this CDC office and our worktogether is so very important.”
The US has pledged 500,000 USD to the ASEAN COVID-19Response Fund to support the purchase of more vaccines and provided more than 150million USD in emergency assistance to the region, she said.
“With the launch of this office, we intend to build on these efforts and helpto grow the public health infrastructure across Southeast Asia,” the VicePresident said.
“We are working to train health professionals in the field of epidemiology. Andthat training programme has actually been in place in Asia since 1980.
“We are also investing in research and supporting the creation of emergencymanagement systems. And we are working with all of you to develop the nextgeneration of healthcare professionals.”
The Southeast Asia regional office is led by a Regional Directorwho is the most senior CDC official in the region and serves as the CDCDirector’s representative, responsible for ensuring a coordinated and cohesiveapproach to the agency’s global health strategy.
An initial priority for the Southeast Asia regional office is the coordinationof COVID-19 activities across the region, with support from Coronavirus Aid,Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding.
Priority areas of focus also include expanding regional publichealth laboratory training, developing innovative programmes to improve healthfor mobile and migrant populations, and expanding the reach of One Health(animal health) operations in and across countries in the region.
It also prioritises working towards the elimination of diseasessuch as measles, rabies, and malaria, and supporting US Government foreignpolicy initiatives in the region including the Indo-Pacific Strategy, US ASEANHealth Future, and the Lower Mekong Initiative.
Southeast Asia comprises of 11 countries and is home toover 687 million people and has a long history of working on health securityissues because of significant experiences with emerging infectious diseases./.
VNA
