Charting the path forward in Southeast Asia: Learning from the COVID-19 vaccination challenges in six ASEAN countries

• Published in: Journal of global health Vol. 14
• Main Authors: Fu, Jolene Yin Ling, Pukhari, Muhammad Harith, Dela Cruz, Kristine Alvarado, Soebandrio, Amin, Tan, Le Van, Jantarabenjakul, Watsamon, Sawitri, Anak Agung Sagung, Chantasrisawad, Napaporn, Yee, Sidney, Weng, Ruifen, Sundar, Raghav, Tan, Chee Wah, Wang, Lin-Fa, Sam, I-Ching, Young, Barnaby, Sutarsa, I Nyoman, Chan, Yoke Fun, Putcharoen, Opass, Wacharapluesadee, Supaporn, Syed Omar, Sharifah Faridah, Rajasuriar, Reena, Kukreja, Anjanna, Basri, Sazali, Kamarulzaman, Adeeba, Tan, Cheng Siang, Said, Asri, Su’ut, Lela, Tu, Nguyen Thi Kha, Thuy, Cao Thu, Nguyet, Lam Anh, Thanh, Le Kim, Ny, Nguyen Thi Han, Hong, Nguyen Thi Thu, Nhu, Le Nguyen Truc, Thanh, Tran Tan, Truong, Nguyen Thanh, Ho, Yuan Lu, Pandey, Rahul, Diong, Shiau Hui, Libau, Eshele Anak, Ongko, Juwinda, Lim, Jonathan, Abdullah, Ridzwan, Yeo, He Ping, Chin, Yi Qing, Jin, Jocelyn Yu, Lim, Beng Lee, Zhu, Feng, Chee, Yap Wee, Lumandas, Mayan U, Dizon, Timothy John R, Demetria, Catalino S, Biocarles, Mary Glazel N, Inobaya, Marianette T, Sornillo, Johanna Beulah T, Morin, Jonjee C, Digman, Arjay Niño A, Roxas, Celine Bernice A, Jiz, Mario Antonio L, Pinatih, Komang Januartha Putra, Yuliyatni, Putu Cintya Denny, Manuaba, Ida Bagus Jelantik, Wisnawa, I Nyoman Dharma, Kusmawati, Amy Yelly, Rissa Cempaka, Pande Putu Ayu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Edinburgh Edinburgh University Global Health Society 01.01.2024
• Subjects: Capacity development; Collaboration; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; COVID-19 vaccines; Immunization; Outbreaks; Pandemics; Public health; Quality assurance; Vaccines; Vietnam; Southeast Asia; Singapore; Asia; Philippines; Malaysia; Thailand; Indonesia
• ISSN: 2047-2978; 2047-2986
• DOI: 10.7189/jogh.14.03016

With a population exceeding 630 million (8% of the global population), the ten member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) accounted for approximately 61 million (7.9%) of global COVID-19 cases and 808 166 (11.6%) of deaths, with case fatality rate (CFR) of 1.3% by the end of 2023 [1]. The global response to the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of collaborative networks within ASEAN, particularly in scientific information, technology and research exchange, resource mobilisation, and capacity building. In response to COVID-19, ASEAN launched several initiatives, including the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework (ACRF) [2], the ASEAN Travel Corridor Arrangement Framework, the ASEAN COVID-19 Response Fund, and the activation of the ASEAN Coordinate Council Working Group on Public Health Emergencies (ACCWG PHE) [3]. The ASSeSS Working Group has identified a few key areas of partnership to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 pandemic crises and prepare for future pandemics: – enhance disease surveillance for early outbreak detection; – establish and harmonise research tools such as virus, serum or cell line banks that will enable the rapid assessment of transmission dynamics and population susceptibility to emerging pathogens in the future; – accelerate local medical diagnostics and equipment development with pilot production, quality assurance, regulatory clearance and scale-ups; – adopt One Health and Planetary Health approaches to address human threats related to animals, climate, and the environment; – establish formal and informal scientific networks for information and knowledge sharing to enable rapid response to outbreaks before they escalate into pandemics; – collaborative funding to support efforts in pandemic preparedness, for example, a revolving fund for vaccine development and procurement for the ASEAN region could be established by fostering public and private collaborations [10].