The overall objective of the project is to enhance the capacities of AMS to adopt and implement consumer protection laws at the national level. The project aims to build/strengthen capacity of government agency personnel through the design, development and delivery of training programs focusing on technical requirements provisionally involving consumer concerns and demands in 6 core areas, namely: 1) Product safety and labelling; 2) Phone and internet services, and e-commerce; 3) Consumer credit and banking; 4) Environment; 5) Healthcare services; and 6) Professional services. For further information about the project, please contact the ASEAN Secretariat, Ms Yap Lai Peng (yap@asean.org) or Ms Sarah Firdaus (sarah.firdaus@asean.org), and Mr. Pierre Horna (pierre.horna@unctad.org), Manager of the Project on Strengthening Technical Competency for Consumer Protection in ASEAN.
The module was drafted by Mr. Allan Asher (Australia). This project is under the overall substantive guidance and project backstopping of UNCTAD and the ASEAN Committee on Consumer Protection (ACCP). Support of Ms. Carlota Montes (Spain) was important to include WHO information in the module. Our special thanks to the ASEAN Secretariat for an excellent partnership and the AADCP II for the trust given to UNCTAD in executing the present project.

Project on Strengthening Technical Competency for Consumer Protection in ASEAN: Health Care Services

Health and well-being of the population are a precondition for any successful country or region. All regions have their specific health challenges that vary according to geographic, social, cultural, and economic conditions. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as a well-established regional actor, has a great potential to influence the health condition of its population through various measures and at different levels. Individual states have the key role to play in protecting and promoting health especially as regional cooperation for health is becoming more important. This paper examines regional and sub-regional health concerns of Southeast Asia focusing on the 10 ASEAN Member States: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam. It aims to give an overview of the Southeast Asian region’s existing cooperation in health with regional and global actors; describe the current status of health – maternal and child mortality, communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases, health systems, and health financing; and provide recommendations on strengthening regional cooperation, coordination, and responses to existing and emerging health challenges, and improving health systems to meet the future needs of the region

Strengthening Regional Cooperation, Coordination, and Response to Health Concerns in the ASEAN Region: Status, Challenges, and Ways Forward

Jakarta, April 13, 2023

A new COVID-19 medication is now available in Indonesia, considered more effective in the treatment of COVID-19 patients.

The medication is an oral antiviral drug called nirmatrelvir/ritonavir or Paxlovid. It is given to patients with mild to moderate severity and the potential to become severe.

Indonesia's Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, stated that ensuring domestic stock availability of medications is the government's effort to guarantee easy access to medicine for the public.

"We must have medicine available domestically. So when someone contracts the disease, they don't need to panic; they don't have to rely on the government. They can go to nearby healthcare facilities to access this medicine," said Minister Budi during the handover of Paxlovid at the Ministry of Health building in Jakarta on Thursday (13/4).

L. Rizka Andalusia, Director-General of Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices at the Ministry of Health, explained that Paxlovid has already received clearance from the Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (Badan POM) and has proven effective in clinical trials for treating mild symptoms that are at high risk of becoming severe.

"So, this medication is for people with mild symptoms who are at risk of becoming severe," said Director-General Rizka.

The presence of Paxlovid in Indonesia is the result of cooperation between the Indonesian government, the U.S. government, and the Australian government. A total of 24,096 doses have been donated to Indonesia.

This medication is the latest to be discovered after favipiravir and molnupiravir. Paxlovid is currently available at the Ministry of Health's central pharmacy installation.

Paxlovid will be distributed to all 34 provinces. In the initial distribution phase, the medication will be prioritized for areas with the greatest need.

Director-General Rizka added that Paxlovid is not administered to children but only to adults with mild symptoms at risk of developing severe symptoms.

"The technical administration of Paxlovid consists of a 5-day treatment course. This medication is a combination of two antiviral drugs taken together, twice a day for 5 days. So, the treatment lasts for 5 days," she explained.

Dr. N. Paranietharan, WHO Representative to Indonesia, revealed that COVID-19 patients taking Paxlovid can reduce hospitalization and the risk of death by up to 89%.

"If we fall ill, Paxlovid will prevent us from transitioning from mild symptoms to severe illness. This is the first time it is available in Indonesia, and it is successful," Paranietharan said.

U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Sung Y. Kim appreciated the cooperation between the United States and Indonesia in ending the COVID-19 pandemic. According to him, the delivery of Paxlovid demonstrates good collaborative values.

"Indonesia and the United States are joining forces to use new medications and rapidly enhance the distribution system to jointly combat the pandemic. This can limit the spread of deadly diseases and treat those infected," Ambassador Kim said.

Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Penny Williams PSM stated that the Paxlovid antiviral significantly reduces the likelihood of severe illness and reduces hospitalizations for COVID-19 patients. This medication will be distributed to hospitals across Indonesia soon.

"Australia and Indonesia remain committed to working together to address extraordinary health issues and to confront the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic," Penny Williams expressed.

This news is broadcasted by the Bureau of Communication and Public Services, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia. For further information, please contact the Halo Kemenkes hotline at 1500-567, SMS at 081281562620, and email at kontak@kemkes.go.id (D2).

Head of the Bureau of Communication and Public Services

dr. Siti Nadia Tarmizi, M.Epid

Indonesia Develops New COVID-19 Drug, Deemed More Effective in Treating Patients

Today at the ASEAN Secretariat, Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr Kao Kim Hourn met with 12 Attachment Officers (AOs) from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Viet Nam. The AOs are currently undertaking a one-year attachment with the ASEAN Secretariat under the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Attachment Programme.

Supported by the Government of Japan through the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund (JAIF), the IAI is aimed to help participants obtain first-hand experience on regional cooperation frameworks under the three ASEAN pillars, namely Political-Security Community, Economic Community, and Socio-Cultural Community.

Secretary-General of ASEAN Dr Kao Kim Hourn met with 12 Attachment Officers from Cambodia

Bali, March 15, 2023

Disease transmission doesn't only occur among humans but can also originate from animals and have the potential to become pandemics. ASEAN countries are committed to implementing the One Health approach to prevent future pandemics resulting from the transmission from animals to humans.

This commitment will be implemented through the development of the ASEAN Leaders Declaration (ALD) on One Health Initiatives. The declaration by ASEAN leaders for One Health initiatives can build stronger regional collaboration in the implementation of One Health, especially cross-border collaboration among ASEAN member countries, which is crucial for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.

This is one of the efforts in the healthcare sector to strengthen the health architecture in ASEAN. Strengthening health architecture is one of Indonesia's deliverables for its ASEAN Chairmanship in 2023.

To formulate the declaration, discussions are currently underway with ASEAN Member States, supported by partners such as FAO, UNEP, WHO, WOAH (Quadripartite), World Bank, Australian Mission to ASEAN, USAID, UK Health Security Agency, ASEAN – Canada Mitigation Biological Threats (MBT), and facilitated by the ASEAN Secretariat from March 15-17 in Bali. In this context, Indonesia leads the drafting of the first ASEAN Leaders Declaration for One Health implementation.

This discussion serves as a platform to gain insights from ASEAN member countries regarding their experiences in implementing One Health and to further enhance what has been achieved so far.

Dr. Maxi Rein Rondonuwu, Director General of Disease Prevention and Control at the Ministry of Health, stated that the increased transmission of diseases among humans, animals, and the environment poses a threat of zoonotic diseases with pandemic potential. Thus, there is an urgent need to enhance cross-sectoral coordination.

"The One Health approach is the best approach for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. This approach requires strong cross-sectoral cooperation and coordination to align our targets, coordination, and implementation," said Dr. Maxi virtually during the Consultative Meeting for the ASEAN Leaders Declaration on One Health Initiatives in Bali.

Dr. Andre Furco, Technical Expert in the One Health Approach from the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), stated that One Health is a powerful approach that enables the achievement of health for humans, animals, plants, and the environment, as well as food safety and security. This can help pave the way for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including poverty, health, well-being, hunger, inequality, clean water, and sanitation.

"The growing support for the One Health concept has led to the formation of several global initiatives to adopt and advance the One Health approach to address global health threats," Dr. Furco said.

The World Bank fully supports the implementation of One Health in ASEAN. Sitaramachandra Machiraju, Senior Agribusiness Specialist in the Agriculture and Food Global Practice, East Asia and Pacific Region, The World Bank, mentioned that the world has witnessed progress in health under Indonesia's presidency of the G20. Similarly, the implementation of One Health in ASEAN can prevent future pandemics.

"The approach we want to take is about sustainable integration between animal health, environmental health, and public health. I am pleased that all three sectors are represented here," he said.

The integration of these three sectors can achieve good public health and improve the quality of health in each country's population. Dr. Maxi added that the previous COVID-19 pandemic served as a valuable lesson for everyone.

"Through multisectoral collaboration among scientists, governments, industries, and international organizations, as well as the simultaneous implementation of One Health across ASEAN countries, we will prove that by working together, we can address future pandemic challenges," Dr. Maxi concluded.

Indonesia's leadership in the ASEAN Meeting 2023 carries the theme "ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth," signifying the growing importance of ASEAN on the global stage. As an epicenter of growth, this theme presents opportunities to strengthen multilateral coordination on various issues, including health resilience.

This news is broadcasted by the Bureau of Communication and Public Services, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia. For further information, please contact the Halo Kemenkes hotline at 1500-567, SMS at 081281562620, fax (021) 5223002, 52921669, or email at kontak@kemkes.go.id (D2).

Head of the Bureau of Communication and Public Services

dr. Siti Nadia Tarmizi, M.Epid

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