Jakarta – Indonesia will host the First Coordination and Technical Consultation Meeting of the ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases (ACPHEED) Host Countries on August 13-14, 2026, in Jakarta. This meeting aims to enhance technical coordination and consultation among ACPHEED host countries during the preparatory period by providing a structured platform for information sharing, technical discussions, and cross-pillar coordination.
ACPHEED consists of three pillars with three host countries. The ACPHEED for Detection and Risk Assessment (DRA) pillar is hosted by Indonesia, Vietnam is hosted by the ACPHEED for Prevention and Preparedness (PP) pillar, and Taiwan is hosted by the ACPHEED for Response and Risk Communication (PRC) pillar and the ACPHEED Secretariat . These three pillars form a regional center of excellence designed to strengthen Southeast Asia's collective capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to public health threats and future pandemics.
The ACPHEED host country Technical Coordination and Consultation Meetings during the preparatory period will be held in rotation in the host countries and in Japan, an ASEAN dialogue partner, through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). At this first meeting, discussions focused on the initial draft ( Zero Draft ) of the ASEAN Surveillance Framework and the Five-Year Strategic Roadmap, as well as various other cross-pillar coordination topics.
In the initial draft of the ASEAN Surveillance Framework and Five-Year Strategic Roadmap , ACPHEED for DRA emphasized four core surveillance functions: information collection and detection , triage and verification, risk assessment, and continuous information dissemination and monitoring . Furthermore, a Table Top Exercise and a joint drafting session were also conducted to obtain input, particularly from other ACPHEED pillars and the various ASEAN entities present, to enrich and refine the draft framework to align with regional needs and coordination mechanisms.
In his opening remarks, Harditya Suryawanto, Head of the Center for Global Health Strategy and Governance at the Indonesian Agency for Health Development Policy (BKPK), stated that Indonesia was honored to host this first Coordination and Technical Consultation Meeting. He stated that the meeting provided a crucial opportunity to bring together the three pillars of ACPHEED, various ASEAN entities, and technical partners in a single forum to strengthen coordination toward the operationalization of ACPHEED.
"Close coordination between host countries and stakeholders will be key to ACPHEED's success. The success of this center depends not only on the strengths of each pillar, but also on our ability to work collectively as an integrated regional mechanism," Harditya said on Thursday (August 13).
On this occasion, Harditya also encouraged all participants to actively participate, share experiences, and identify practical solutions to support the acceleration of the formation and operation of ACPHEED.
In addition to the series of meetings, a visit to the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre) was conducted as part of a learning and experience-sharing activity regarding the formation, governance, and operationalization of one of ASEAN's well-functioning mechanisms. The AHA Centre is an ASEAN entity that facilitates cooperation and coordination on disaster management and emergency response in the region, including with the United Nations (UN) and various international partners.
The delegates were welcomed by the Deputy Executive Director of the AHA Center, Krishna Putra Tanaja, and his staff. During the event, the delegates learned about the center's development and operations through presentations and interactive discussions. They also visited the Disaster Monitoring Room, an emergency monitoring center used to monitor and update information in real time through various systems and platforms.
Overall, this meeting served as an important momentum to strengthen coordination between host countries and stakeholders in preparing for the establishment and operation of ACPHEED. The meeting also generated various technical inputs for the development of the ASEAN Surveillance Framework and Five-Year Strategic Roadmap and strengthened cross-pillar synergy as the foundation for ACPHEED's future operations. Participants also appreciated the progress made by Indonesia as the host of ACPHEED for Detection and Risk Assessment (DRA), particularly in preparing a regional surveillance system framework that will support public health coordination and response in ASEAN.
(Authors: Kurniatun Karomah and Rita Ratna Puri, Editor: HDI Work Team)
