ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) considers legal frameworks to be important indicators in evaluating a country’s pandemic preparedness. The ‘ASEAN Indicators to Assess National Multi-Sectoral Pandemic Preparedness and Response’, encourage national government planning and coordination to be supported by legal and regulatory frameworks.
From 2-3 April in Kuala Lumpur, senior level Ministry of Health representatives from ASEAN governments met to discuss how these indicators could be used for upcoming assessments on multi-sectoral pandemic preparedness and response in all ASEAN member countries.
IDRL Asia Pacific Programme Officer, Aishah Amin, shared the experience of the IDRL Programme in conducting Legal Preparedness Projects for Disaster and Communicable Disease Emergencies in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. She offered technical assistance from the IDRL Programme for identifying legal issues and legislation reviews for international and cross-border collaboration during an event of pandemic.
The first ASEAN Pandemic Preparedness Assessment will be undertaken in Indonesia in early June, followed by assessments in nine other member countries.