Strengthening Virology Research in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations: Preparing for Future Pandemics

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2021 Sep 10:tpmd210589. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.21-0589. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTThe Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region is known to be a global hotspot to viral outbreaks because of many factors. To limit the impact of future outbreaks, it is crucial for the ASEAN governments to strengthen regional virology research capacity. The ASEAN governments have collaborated in several virology initiatives, with the most recent being the establishment of the ASEAN Regional Center for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases. However, several challenges, including technology disparities, nationalistic tendencies, and the lack of public acceptance toward virus sharing, need to be addressed to maximize the region's collaboration potential in virology research. We recommend the governments to 1) prioritize the strengthening of research capacities; 2) develop stronger cooperation and possible centralization of efforts on top of national capacities; 3) develop an equitable and secure research framework; and 4) improve the public awareness regarding the importance of regional public health responses.PMID:34506300 | DOI:10.4269/ajtmh.21-0589
Source: Am J Trop Med Hyg - Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Source Type: research