Member State representatives from across the Asia Pacific, Technical Advisory Group members, international partners, secretariat members, ladies and gentlemen,
Warm greetings and welcome to this Bi-regional Technical Advisory Group Meeting on the Asia Pacific Strategy for Emerging Diseases and Public Health Emergencies (APSED III).
I first want to convey my sincere appreciation for your extraordinary efforts to respond to the COVID-19 crisis – a crisis that has now taken more than 4.1 million lives globally.
Whereas it took nine months for the world to record its first million COVID-19 deaths, it took just three-and-a-half months to record the second million. It took three months to record the third million, and just two-and-a-half months to record the fourth million.
Your commitment, poise and determination are commendable. Amid the global spread of new variants of concern, and in the context of ongoing and unjust vaccine inequities, we must continue to vigorously respond, using all tools at our disposal.
And we must do so with full recognition that COVID-19 is not the only challenge we face – far from it.
Countries in the WHO South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions continue to face serious threats from other emerging infectious diseases and public health emergencies, from influenza and antimicrobial resistance, to cholera, dengue, botulism and natural disasters.
Preparing for and preventing against these and other hazards requires all countries in the Asia Pacific to continue to implement the APSED III, and to achieve full compliance with the International Health Regulations (IHR) – the bedrock of global health security.
Since 2014 strengthening emergency risk management has been one of the South-East Asia Region’s Flagship Priorities.
State Party Assessment Reports show that between 2018 and 2020, countries in the Region increased IHR capacities by an average seven percentage points, from 56% to 63%.
Eight of the Region’s 11 Member States have conducted Joint External Evaluations, based on which seven have developed and implemented a multi-year national action plan for health security.
Most Member States are implementing national action plans for disaster risk management, in line with the Sendai Framework for disaster risk reduction.
All countries have achieved measurable progress on implementing the Region’s strategic plan on preparedness and response, which was launched in 2019, alongside the adoption of the Delhi Declaration on Emergency Preparedness.
In all countries of the Region, the COVID-19 pandemic has tested emergency preparedness and response capacities, and overall health system resilience, like never before.
And while countries have shown tremendous strengths, we have also seen opportunities for learning and growth, not only to strengthen the COVID-19 response, but to enhance emergency capacity moving forward – a guiding APSED III principle.
For example, in many cases, national IHR focal points require greater authority to engage other sectors and agencies, and to participate in emergency planning processes.
Health system resilience – including surge capacities, adequate infection prevention and control, and effective supply management systems – must be further strengthened, including to maintain essential health services, one of the Region’s key points of focus throughout the response.
Risk communication and community engagement have been central to achieving the whole-of-society buy-in required for an effective emergency response. And yet funding for these endeavours continues to be a challenge.
To identify these and other opportunities and lessons learned, define joint priorities across countries and regions, and help inform the next health security framework for the Asia Pacific, your deliberations will be critical.
And they could not be more timely.
In May, at the Seventy-Fourth World Health Assembly, several key reports were released:
First, from the Review Committee on the Functioning of the International Health Regulations (2005) during the COVID-19 Response;
Second, from the Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee for the WHO Health Emergencies Programme;
And third, from the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response.
Each of these reports contains critical insights and recommendations that may have important implications for your work.
As you embark on this three-day meeting, I urge you to be inclusive in your approach, accounting for the full range of health and non-health factors and stakeholders that may impact outcomes.
Access for all to strong primary care; policy making that not only protects, but enhances health, social and economic equity; and multilateral partnerships that are robust, and which can reliably deliver – these and other priorities are essential to our mission to end this pandemic and prepare for and prevent the next.
I appreciate your due consideration, wish you the very best in your endeavours, and reiterate WHO’s ongoing and unmitigated support.
Thank you.