In his speech at the AHMM plenary session on July 22, Minister Trieu highlighted Vietnam’s achievements in caring and protecting people’s health, as well as developing grassroots-level healthcare network.

He said many of dangerous epidemics have been well controlled, health services have been diversified and many sophisticated technologies have been developed and applied, making it easier for the people to get access to quality health services.

General health indicators in Vietnam have exceeded those in countries with the same level of per capita income, said Mr Trieu.

Vietnam has proposed observing June 15 every year as ASEAN Dengue Day, showing its strong political commitment and the engagement of the entire society in fighting this disease. To this end, the country has drawn up a dengue fever prevention project to encourage public participation and inter-sectoral cooperation in the fight. The project is estimated to cost US$1.9 million and Vietnam will seek donor assistance to implement it.

Minister Trieu also shared Vietnam’s experience in containing the influenza epidemic and proposed that ASEAN countries keep a close watch on the emergence of influenza, type A, especially the mutation of A/H1N1 and H5N1 viruses, in their countries. He called on the member states to increase the sharing of information about epidemics, including newly emerged diseases, to take swift and effective preventive measures.

The ministers adopted the ASEAN Strategic Framework on health and Development for the 2010-2015 period. The framework is focused on (i) food safety, (ii) access to health care services which comprise pharmaceuticals, traditional medicines, maternal and child health, and migrant health, (iii) healthy lifestyle with emphasis on proactive health promotion measures to prevent non-communicable diseases, and mental health, and (iv) communicable diseases and pandemic preparedness and response.

They adopted the AHMM Joint Statement showing their political commitments to increasing healthcare cooperation amongst ASEAN countries and mobilising resources at the national regional and global levels.

At the 4^th ASEAN+3 Health Ministers Meeting, ASEAN ministers and the ministers of China, the Republic of Korea and Japan supported the development of collaborative networks in the areas of health promotion, capacity building for health professionals, human resource development, as well as addressing infectious diseases and developing traditional, complementary and alternative medicine.

They welcomed Vietnam’s initiative for ASEAN Dengue Day and adopted a joint statement, agreeing to develop a new framework for cooperation.

At the ASEAN-China Health Ministers Meeting, the ministers agreed to increase cooperation in the areas of traditional medicine, the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals, prevention of communicable and non-communicable diseases, management of emergency services, and establishment of an ASEAN Risk Communication Resource Centre.