Photo from the Bureau of International Health Cooperation, Department of Health - Philippines

(24 November 2020) — The Bureau of International Health Cooperation (BIHC) facilitated the attendance of the Philippine delegation to the 3rd ASEAN-China Forum on Health Cooperation.

The Philippines was represented by the Secretary of Health, Dr. Francisco T. Duque III and officers from the BIHC during the opening ceremonies. Meanwhile, the simultaneous sub-forums were attended by officers from the Health Regulations Team, Disease Prevention and Control Bureau, Health Emergency and Management Bureau, Epidemiology Bureau, Philippine Institute for Traditional and Alternative Health Care. The various sub-forums dealt with topics such as disease prevention and control collaboration, dentistry, health emergency cooperation, hospital management cooperation, food safety and nutrition, and traditional medicine.

The keynote speech delivered by the Secretary of Health discussed the national strategy for health development which highlighted the country’s strides towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC). He expressed that despite the challenges of the pandemic, the work towards UHC remains robust, in an effort to strengthen health system resilience. The Philippines also acknowledged that ASEAN-China cooperation remains important to address the current threats and that the ASEAN and China have a shared interest into building a resilient and cohesive community.