ASEAN countries to work together
to combat communicable diseases
Communicable diseases do not
respect national borders. In fact, they are
most difficult to control at the border areas
for lack of facilities and surveillance
compounded by the movement of
populations across those borders.
In view of this, a Plan of Action has
been being prepared to strengthen
disease surveillance among ASEAN
countries and to establish a coordinating
mechanism for the prevention and control
of communicable diseases with epidemic potential.
Dr. Somsak Watanasri, Director of the Division of
Epidemiology of the Ministry of Public Health of Thailand,
has been engaged by the World Health Organization
(WHO) and the ASEAN Secretariat to prepare the first
draft of such a Plan of Action. He has been travelling all over
the the ASEAN region to gather inputs for the draft.
On the state of disease surveillance in ASEAN
countries, Dr. Somsak has observed that the national
surveillance system of each ASEAN country has its
strengths and weaknesses and each therefore has
something to contribute and to learn from the others.
Concerns to be covered by the Plan of Action include:
- Strengthening public health, surveillance and laboratory
diagnostic capabilities through consultancy support
and use of existing collaborating centres;
- Developing and maintaining a list of national and international,
experts in various relevant disciplines who could be mobilized
to assist in surveillance and rapid action;
- Training of various levels of health staff on routine surveillance,
preparations against epidemics, laboratory diagnosis and response;
- Teaching of communicable disease epidemiology in medical,
nursing and paramedical schools;
- Simple and practical guidelines on disease surveillance and
response;
- Updating of the regional database on communicable
diseases and the provision of feedback through the Internet or
a regular publication;
- Support for research on emerging diseases by assisting
countries in proposal development, implementation of
research and even the provision of financial assistance; and
- A regional network of reference laboratories to monitor susceptibility
patterns within and between countries.
The draft of the Plan of Action
has been reviewed by an experts
group meeting held on 8-10 June
1998 in Bangkok.