(24 July 2020) — The Department of Health (DOH), headed by Undersecretary Myrna C. Cabotaje of the Public Health Services Team, attended the special SOMHD in Synergizing COVID-19 Response, last 22-23 of July 2020, held via videoconference. This special meeting was presided by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, who serves as the SOMHD Chair for 2020.

The objectives of the meeting were (a) to map existing coordination mechanisms and operational platforms of ASEAN for public health emergency preparedness and response, (b) to identify and discuss the roles and responsibilities of each members of the ASEAN Health Sector, (c) to identify and discuss potential duplication and overlaps among initiatives, and (d) to agree and recommend ways forward in synergizing and defining the roles and responsibility of the ASEAN Health Sector through the SOMHD in the implementation of COVID-19 commitments.

ASEAN Member States provided information and updates on the COVID-19 initiatives led by their respective countries, while the ASEAN Secretariat provided updates on the partnerships with external partners, including the European Union. For the Philippines, Director Napoleon L. Arevalo of the Disease Prevention and Control Bureau (DPCB) provided an update to the SOMHD on the Philippine-led ASEAN BioDiaspora Virtual Center. This two-day special SOMHD was also attended by representatives from the DPCB, and the Health Emergency Management Bureau.

 
[from left] (a) The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, as the SOMHD Chair, led the meeting; (b) Undersecretary Myrna C. Cabotaje attended the meeting through videoconference.

Photo from the DOH-Bureau of International Health Cooperation