APEC Health Ministers to Mark New Phase in SARS Fight: Rebuild Confidence and Increase Future Defenses
APEC Health Ministers will meet on June 28 in Bangkok, Thailand, to set common actions for restoring business and consumer confidence in the Asia-Pacific region and to make preparations for potential similar epidemics in the future.
APEC Secretariat Executive Director, Ambassador Piamsak Milintachinda, said the APEC Health Ministers meeting will complement the recent World Health Organization (WHO) conference in Kuala Lumpur.
"Last week the WHO looked at the scientific and health issues relating to SARS," said Ambassador Milintachinda.
"This week APEC will look at the economic and governance implications of SARS. The next chapter in the fight against SARS is the economic recovery and future defense phase."
Ambassador Milintachinda said APEC Health Ministers will identify measures for member economies and the APEC Secretariat to implement as part of a regional strategy to move beyond the SARS epidemic.
"In its briefings the WHO has spoken of SARS as the first severe and readily transmissible new disease to strike a globalized society.
"To defeat SARS and any similar epidemic that may come in the future, the WHO has called for unprecedented solidarity in the international community to overcome the threat.
"SARS is not a problem for one economy, it is the collective responsibility of APEC economies to seek solutions and protect our future.
"APEC has the task of establishing policy initiatives and guiding principles for economies to implement and prevent the future cross-border spread of epidemic diseases."
Ambassador Milintachinda said the other major focus of the APEC Health Ministers will be on the restoration of business and traveler confidence.
"With the crisis being contained in most effected areas, the time is right to focus on the post-SARS economic recovery," Ambassador Milintachinda said.
"Now is the time to assure the business community and tourists that it is safe to return to international travel. Not only has SARS been contained, but there are now tight screening measures to prevent new outbreaks from being spread.
"The meeting will receive submissions from the APEC Business Advisory Council, the APEC Tourism Working Group, the APEC Transportation Working Group, the APEC Industrial Science and Technology Working Group and other contributors."
The APEC Action Plan on SARS is already being implemented and includes a number of proactive measures ranging from the sharing of information to developing a common set of guiding principles to assure the safety of all travelers.
Additional APEC information on SARS.