The Executive Conference Advancing the Regional Collaboration on Zika Virus Preparedness and Response in Southeast Asian Countries

Today, 23 August 2019, the Department of Disease Control (DDC), Thailand Ministry of Public Health, is organizing “ The Executive Conference Advancing the Regional Collaboration on Zika Virus Preparedness and Response in Southeast Asian Countries" with the support of USAID, FAO, WHO, U.S. CDC, ASEAN Plus FETN Foundation, and relevant international organizations during 22 – 23 August 2019 at the Millennium Hilton Bangkok Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand.

The executives of disease prevention and control authorities from Southeast Asian countries including Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Japan and other relevant stakeholders are gathering here to jointly address the public health significance of the Zika Virus that requires proper preparedness and effective response.

During 2015 and 2016, Zika Virus started to cause an epidemic in Latin America with major medical, social, and economic implications. Besides the usual disease symptoms, newborns with microcephaly triggered deep concerns. The World Health Organization hence declared the situation as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in 2016. Countries in the Southeast Asian region then prioritized Zika Virus based on the region’s existing Aedes mosquitoes as the vector population that are able to transmit the virus.

The Department of Disease Control (DDC), Thailand Ministry of Public Health, with the support of USAID, FAO, WHO, U.S. CDC, and relevant international organizations has organized a series of the Zika Virus regional meeting during 2017 to 2019. Representatives of the disease prevention and control authorities from Southeast Asian countries and vector-borne diseases experts have joined the meetings. The assessment of the outbreak situation, existing interventions and promising tools for effective prevention and control have been reviewed. Efforts have been put for the development of “the Zika Operational Guidelines for the Preparedness and Response of Southeast Asian Countries” that finally have been accomplished.

The Thailand DDC is most honored to present the guidelines to the concerned executives for their recognition and utilization to fight our common threats, the Zika Virus Disease and other mosquito-borne diseases especially Dengue and Chikungunya, according to each country's own context. Thailand DDC is definitely confident that the guidelines will be helpful for each country in the region to use in the health security promotion in the near future.

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