The conference, held every two to three years since its launch in 2004, discusses ways to come up with joint responses to common health concerns, such as malnutrition, communicable and emerging diseases, universal health coverage, food safety and human resources for health.

In a joint statement released Friday, the health ministers affirmed their commitment to the United Nations’ sustainable development goal of achieving universal health coverage by 2030 and pledged to accelerate progress by building up regional capacity under the ASEAN Plus Three network.

A delegation led by Kim Hye-seon, chief of the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s global health care bureau, was in Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta during the same period to bolster exchanges in the medical health care and pharmaceutical industries between countries.

Kim said Malaysia and Indonesia are “key partners with prospects of robust growth in medical services and pharmaceuticals” and that the delegation’s visit was aimed at consolidating cooperation with the two countries.

The Health Ministry said the five-day visit was in line with the Moon Jae-in administration’s New Southern Policy, directed at deepening ties with countries in Southeast Asia and India.

The ministry currently operates health collaboration programs in China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar and the Philippines. 

By Kim Arin (arin@heraldcorp.com)