Deputy Prime Minister Anutin with the Secretary-General of ASEAN joined the soft launch of the Secretariat Office of ACPHEED at the Bangrak Medical Center Building in Bangkok.

Thailand Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health along with the Ministers of Health of the ASEAN Member States (AMS) and delegates, the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Honorable guests from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and Development Partners joined the soft launch of the Secretariat Office of the ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases (ACPHEED). The Secretariat Office is ready to facilitate and coordinate with all AMS for the timely prevention, detection and response of public health emergencies and emerging diseases.

Today (26 August 2022) at the Bangrak Medical Center Building, Sathorn Road, Bangkok, H.E. Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health along with the Ministers of Health of the ASEAN member states  from  Brunei, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand and Honorable guests including Dato Paduka Lim Jock Hoi, the Secretary-General of ASEAN and high level officers from Chili , Japan, Mexico, Peru, and The United States of America attended the Soft Launch of the Secretariat Office of ACPHEED. In the meantime, executives from the Thailand Ministry of Public Health, the Thailand Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and international organizations also participated in this crucial event. After the soft launch ceremony, Thailand Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health had a bilateral discussion with the Secretary-General of ASEAN on the issue of ASEAN Health Cooperation. 

Mr. Anutin stated that the pandemic of COVID-19 affects a wide range of aspects both in term of health security and socio- economic systems. All ASEAN Member States agreed to join hands to increase cooperation and strengthen both national and regional capacities so as to address public health emergencies and emerging diseases. With this regional commitment, the establishment of the ACPHEED was announced at the 37^th ASEAN Summit in 2020, and the 15^th ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting on May 11-15, 2022 in Bali, Indonesia reached to the consensus and agreed on the venue of the ACPHEED Secretariat Office to be located in Thailand. Initially, three countries including Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand will take the leading role in the coordination of prevention, detection and response, with the AMS respectively.

Mr. Anutin highlighted the responsibilities under the agreement adopted at the Trilateral Meeting on ACPHEED on 13 May 2022 that the Secretariat Office will serve as a regional centre of excellence and resources for ASEAN. In addition, the Secretariat Office will coordinate with partner agencies and countries outside ASEAN to enhance the capacity for prevention, detection and response to public health emergencies and emerging diseases.

The Secretariat Office of ACPHEED is located on the 15^th floor of the Bangrak Medical Center Building, Sathorn Road, in the heart of Bangkok's business district. The building was completely established and started its operation since the beginning of 2021. The IT system and networks have been installed with a lot of amenities such as large common area for servicing users, laboratory, vaccination center, research and training centers, canteens, staff residence, and modern meeting rooms. This place can serve as the Secretariat Office and is ready to act immediately when the AMS reach an agreement on the Establishment Agreement (EA) this year.

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