APEC Officials LoginAPEC Groups
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Health Working Group (Health Task Force) |
The emergence of regional and global health epidemics - including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, avian influenza and H1N1 influenza - has highlighted the impact that threats to public health can have on a broad range of sectors including agriculture, trade, tourism, transportation and business. APEC's leadership in the region and its wide-ranging economic work program make it uniquely suited to address the multi-sectoral impact of today's health threats.
In October 2003 APEC established the Health Task Force (HTF) to address health-related threats to economies' trade and security, focusing mainly on emerging infectious diseases, including naturally occurring and man-made diseases.
The HTF was tasked to implement APEC's health-related activities as directed by Leaders, Ministers and Senior Officials, including activities contained in the 2003 Health Security Initiative and in the 2005 Enhancement of APEC Work on Preventing, Preparing for and Mitigating the Effects of Avian Influenza and Influenza Pandemic initiative.
In 2007, the HTF was renamed the Health Working Group (HWG) and during its first meeting in Lima in February 2008, the following areas were identified as priorities:
- preparedness for and response to public health threats, including avian and human pandemic influenza and vector borne diseases;
- combating the spread of HIV/AIDS in the APEC region; and
- improving health outcomes through advances in health information technology.
Achievements
In 2006, the HTF focused on health pandemics and developed the APEC Action Plan on the Prevention and Response to Avian and Influenza Pandemics. The Action Plan was endorsed at a special APEC Ministerial Meeting on Avian and Influenza Pandemics held in Da Nang, Viet Nam in May 2006. Implementation and capacity building workshops were then undertaken.
The HTF has also developed guidelines on pandemics and HIV/AIDS - namely, the APEC Functioning Economies in Times of Pandemic Guidelines and the Guidelines for Creating an Enabling Environment for Employers to Implement Effective Workplace Practice for People Living with HIV/AIDS.
In addition, APEC Leaders have agreed to support the sharing of influenza specimens in a timely manner and to promote transparent, fair and equitable access to vaccines and other benefits that derive from them.
A decision to hold an annual policy dialogue on a topical health issue was made by the HWG in 2008. The first - focusing on the impact of the global financial crisis on the health sector - was held in August 2009.
At the HWG's main meeting in August 2009, members supported the strengthening of cooperation with ASEAN, with a view to sharing information on regional experiences and initiatives. ASEAN representatives were invited to attend HWG meeting activities going forward and HWG members will endeavour to attend ASEAN meetings when invited.
Current Activities
The HWG continues its work HIV/AIDS. A capacity building Seminar on Social Management Policies for Migrants to Prevent the Transmission of HIV/AIDS was held in Hanoi in September 2008. A follow-up Workshop on HIV as an Episodic Disability in the Workplace was held in Singapore in February 2009. This workshop was aimed at enhancing and strengthening HIV response by promoting the implementation of appropriate workplace policies.
A workshop on Leveraging Advances in Health IT to Prevent and Combat the Spread of Avian Influenza and other Infectious Diseases was held in Singapore in August 2009. In this workshop, participants from all over the Asia-Pacific shared success stories about the use of Health IT to combat pandemic influenza and other infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDs and tuberculosis. Case studies were presented from China, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam and the United States. Speakers came from government authorities, academia and the private sector.
An APEC Conference for the Surveillance, Treatment, Laboratory Diagnosis and Vaccine Development of Enteroviruses was held in Chinese Taipei in August 2009. This conference introduced theories and practices concerning the control and prevention of enteroviruses, and involved both a policy dialogue and information sharing.
Following on from the HWG meeting in Singapore in July, the group plans to draft a report on measures taken by APEC to combat the spread of H1N1 influenza virus. A set of recommendations from the policy dialogue on the impact of the global financial crisis on the health sector will also be compiled and forwarded to APEC's SOM Steering Committee on Economic and Technical Cooperation.
Health Working Group - Key Contacts
Chair
Ms. Jane Halton
Secretary,
Department of Health and Ageing, Australia
Central Office postal address
GPO Box 9848,
Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
Tel: 02 6289 3861
Fax: 02 6289 7087
email: hwg.chair@health.gov.au
APEC Secretariat
Mr Vincent Liu
Director (Program)
E-mail: jyl@apec.org
Reviewed on: 3 September 2009