The ASEF Public Health Network is part of the ‘ASEM Initiative for the Rapid Containment of Pandemic Influenza’, which was officially launched in 2009 by the ASEM Leaders’ call for global solidarity to combat the Influenza A (H1N1) and possible human influenza pandemics ranging back to the 6th ASEM Summit (ASEM 6) in 2006 in Helsinki, Finland. The network is a participatory platform to encourage dialogue between health and nonhealth sector representatives in Asia and Europe to tackle common public health challenges. It engages multiple-sector stakeholders in areas such as infectious diseases, pandemics and migrant health, by conducting Asia- Europe joint research, developing pandemic preparedness and response strategies, and producing policy recommendations. To date the network has used various initiatives to promote awareness of public health issues such as student exchanges, cultural performances and linking social entrepreneurs. The programme is supported financially by the Government of Japan.
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The advisory group members of the ASEF Public Health Network convened in February 2012 in Brussels, Belgium. It was the third meeting since the network was established in 2009. The main outcome was the recommendation to extend the focus of the network from infectious diseases and pandemics to noncommunicable diseases and public health emergencies. As a side event, the network organised a public briefing to share the ‘Accurate Scenarios, Active Preparedness’ (ASEF-ASAP) scenarios for pandemic preparedness with professionals from the public and private sectors, as well as the media. The event also featured a presentation of the recommendations from the Strategy Development Workshop on ‘Preparedness for Pandemics and Public Health Emergencies in the Passenger Air Transport Sector’, held in 2011 in Budapest, Hungary. On 22 and 23 October 2012, ASEF organised the last event in the strategy development workshop series, focusing on ‘Pandemic Preparedness and Response for Food Supply Security’. A total of 22 experts, including leading service providers in the food industry, and representatives from government institutions, international organisations and NGOs, were brought together to develop strategic options for improving pandemic preparedness in the food supply sector. |
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^ Panelists during the public briefing in Brussels
 ^ Professionals from the public and private sector attending the public
briefing on ASEF-ASAP scenarios |
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Given the significant increase of population mobility between Asia and Europe, the two regions will benefit from closer collaboration with one another on migration. With this in mind, ASEF Public Health Network organised two collaborative Research Exchange Workshops on health and migration to provide a platform to share both knowledge and expertise. The 1st Workshop on ‘Social Determinants of Migrants’ Health Across Asia and Europe’ was organised in March 2012 in Barcelona, Spain in partnership with Casa Asia, while the 2nd workshop on ‘Bringing the Migrant Health Discourse into Policy’ took place in November 2012 in Makati City, The Philippines in collaboration with the Yuchengco Center of De La Salle University. |
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The workshops provided an avenue for key players to better understand the health concerns of migrants, and discuss the ways to better address migrant health issues. Public events were organised on the side-lines of both workshops, with the aim of raising awareness  ^ Dr Manuel Carballo from ICMHD and Mr Mohammad Harun-or-
Rashid from CARAM Asia presenting during one of the sessions |
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Recognising that small- and medium-scale businesses help to build communities with a focus on social needs such as health education, environment and cultural heritage, ASEF Public Health Network, in collaboration with the British Council, organised two workshops on ‘Skills for Social Entrepreneurs’in May 2012 in Yangon, Myanmar, and in June 2012 in Hanoi, Vietnam. The workshops were designed to support social enterprise incubation, develop social enterprise communities for impact, evaluate the impact of social enterprises, and build stronger networks between Asian and European social entrepreneurs. Attended by emerging social entrepreneurs from Asia and Europe, facilitators and resource personnel from the field, the workshops also received representatives from international media outlets who reported widely on the outcomes. |
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With the ground fertile for social enterprises to continue growing in countries across both regions, ASEF aims to encourage business leaders, investors and policy makers to help build capacities throughout Asia and Europe.  ^ The participants visiting FXB Myanmar Social Enterprise |
