ASEAN Strategic Framework for Public Health Emergencies

Since the turn of the millennium, the ASEAN region has been affected by epidemics and public health emergencies such as the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003, the Avian Influenza AH5N1 and New Influenza AH1N1 pandemic in the 2000s, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in 2012, Zika Virus Disease in 2015-2016, and most recently, the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented disruption to economies, livelihoods, and strain to health systems.

The emergence and re-emergence of new and deadly diseases remain to be foreseeable possibilities, including those which can spread from animals to humans. The ASEAN region remains vulnerable to public health threats and all-hazards whether naturally occurring, accidental, or deliberate actions that pose serious risk to the safety of ASEAN Member States (AMS).

(Download the full framework here.)