Thailand-US bilateral talk ended with US’s support for lab-test and human resources development under GHSA framework, praising Thailand for its achievement to control the COVID-19 pandemic.

August 24: Thailand-US bilateral public health cooperation has underlined Thailand’s strong commitment to support Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) with its readiness to prepare laboratories, human resources and provide basic vaccine to Burmese children living along the border for communicable disease prevention, according to deputy prime minister and public health minister Anutin Charnvirakul. He said that Thailand has welcomed US for hosting the APEC’s health and economy meetings next year; meanwhile, US has admired for the country’s efforts to successfully control the outbreak under good cooperation from people.

Public health minister Anutin and Ms. Andrea Palm, deputy secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services discussed for further public health cooperation during the bilateral talk, attended by the two-sided senior officials under an event of APEC Health Week in August 22-26.

He said that US has welcomed Thailand for hosting the APEC’s meetings, and she would take this opportunity to share her opinion and experience about how to create a balance of health and economy under a roundtable panel discussion in August 26, with a topic related with health insurance investment for responding pandemic in the future.

He added that the US counterpart has also made him invitation to attend the APEC’s health and economy meetings next year. In addition, she has expressed her appreciation toward the country’s great performance on dealing with the pandemic, especially the public’s active cooperation on the government’s preventive guidelines such as mask wearing and social distancing. Thailand has done a good job for medical treatment by providing sufficient drug to the patients, a medical service for home isolation and hospitel under the country’s main health insurance system and particularly massive COVID-19 vaccination to the majority of people.

She also expressed thanks Thailand for sending COVID-19 virus samples for developing drug and vaccine against the disease. Mr Anutin also showed his admiration to the US’s assistance by donating several million doses of mRNA-based vaccine and antiviral drugs during the outbreak.

Moreover, he added that US has applauded the country’s achievement to establish ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases (ACPHEED), which he said that the centre is set up under US’s full support. It will be the regional center to strengthen the members’ preparedness and response in public health emergencies and emerging diseases. And Thailand is going to open the center on Friday, accompanied by ASEAN and APEC’s ministers, he said.

Mr. Anutin further said that the two countries have maintained good relations for a long time, particularly consecutive public health cooperation and US has made a request for the country’s support on US health projects under APEC’s health working group.

Besides, a further discussion was involved with the issue of Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), which the country has participated since the year 2014 after the Ebola outbreak in Africa.

Thailand’s the Department of Disease Control last year chaired Steering Group, with over 70 participated countries around the world, reflecting the importance of GHSA to make the world safe from a threat of infectious diseases. The country, he added, is ready for supporting GHSA, especially lab system and workforce development under the GHSA’s action plan.

Regarding cooperation on vaccine, US has called Thailand for supporting basis vaccination to prevent communicable diseases among children living along Thai-Burmese border such as tuberculosis and DTP vaccine. The ministry has been working closely with TICA to set up public health’s cooperative plan with Myanmar, which the US support is also included into the plan. To make the plan achieve, the ministry is going to inform the issue with Myanmar and the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

***************************** August, 24 2022

*************************************************