ASEAN’s response to past health crises has revealed critical gaps in coordination, resources, communication, and preparedness, underscoring the need for comprehensive reforms to enhance regional health security.
Enhancing Regional Coordination
Strengthening coordination among ASEAN Member States is fundamental to achieving effective health security. Enhanced communication channels, harmonized policies, and optimized resource allocation will significantly improve crisis response capabilities. Leveraging regional platforms such as the ASEAN EOC Network and the ASEAN Biodiaspora Virtual Centre (ABVC) will enable real-time data and information sharing, fostering better cross-sector collaboration. To streamline decision-making processes, it is vital to establish a regional governance structure with clear mandates, standardized protocols, and collective frameworks. Moreover, joint procurement of essential medical supplies and laboratory equipment can contribute to ASEAN’s preparedness, ensuring timely access during health crises. Institutionalizing multi-sectoral cooperation through structured mechanisms will foster a resilient, unified regional health security system.
The importance of cross-sectoral collaboration was emphasized, particularly the continuous engagement of health, security, and foreign affairs sectors. A notable best practice highlighted was the formation of joint command structures during crises, such as Malaysia’s Greater Klang Valley Special Task Force, which successfully integrated military and public health resources for coordinated crisis management. Furthermore, insights drawn from past pandemics underscored the importance of local vaccine production, reinforcing the need for robust capacity-building initiatives within ASEAN to reduce dependency on external supply chains. The session also emphasized the significance of data sharing and real-time communication in managing vaccine distribution, pandemic surveillance, and responses to chemical hazards.
The discussions also highlighted emerging biosecurity threats within a global context, particularly the potential risks posed by synthetic biology and artificial intelligence. Participants stressed the importance of ASEAN participation in the UN Secretary-General’s Mechanism for Investigating Biological Threats (UNSGM) and the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC). These global mechanisms serve as critical entry points for ASEAN to strengthen its regional biosecurity efforts and ensure coherence with global biological non-proliferation architecture. Moving forward, ASEAN should prioritize the establishment of clear governance structures for biosecurity, reinforce national emergency response frameworks, and build stronger regional and international partnerships to mitigate emerging biological threats effectively.
Limited Funding and Resources
Underinvestment in health systems has significantly constrained the ability of ASEAN Member States to respond effectively to crises. Participants highlighted the need for increased allocations to domestic and regional health budgets to support infrastructure development, workforce expansion, and technology upgrades. Additional funding from international donors, philanthropic organizations, and private-sector partnerships was identified as a vital component to bridge financial gaps. Establishing dedicated regional health funds was proposed to pool resources and enhance collective preparedness, amplifying ASEAN’s capacity to respond to health crises sustainably. The MBT Program is one example of an effective regional mechanism that has become the primary platform for externally supported health-security initiatives in ASEAN. As a result, there has been a diversification of funding, with Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom, and South Korea joining the MBT as key partners.
Misinformation and Disinformation
The proliferation of misinformation and disinformation during health crises has often eroded public trust, reduced compliance with health directives, and complicated crisis management efforts. To combat this, participants recommended the implementation of robust public communication frameworks designed to deliver accurate, timely, and culturally sensitive information through trusted channels. Leveraging both traditional and digital media platforms was emphasized to counter misinformation effectively. To address this challenge, participants highlighted the need for robust public communication frameworks that ensure accurate, timely, and culturally sensitive messaging. The ASEAN BioDiaspora Virtual Centre (ABVC) was highlighted as a key example of an existing mechanism that has been instrumental in combating misinformation by providing credible, real-time information. Strengthening coordination between governments, media, and community leaders, along with leveraging both traditional and digital platforms, was identified as essential for effective information dissemination. Proactive fact-checking initiatives and the use of trusted networks like the ABVC can help counter false narratives and reinforce public confidence in health directives.
Vulnerabilities to Emerging Threats
Emerging threats driven by climate change, urbanization, global mobility, and advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technology have introduced unprecedented complexities to ASEAN’s health security landscape. Climate change has intensified vector-borne diseases, disrupted food systems, and increased extreme weather events, placing additional strain on healthcare systems and heightening risks of biological threats. Urbanization has exacerbated the spread of infectious diseases in densely populated areas, while global mobility has accelerated transboundary disease transmission, challenging regional biosurveillance and response efforts.
At the same time, AI is transforming health security by enhancing disease surveillance, outbreak prediction, and rapid response. AI-driven tools analyze vast datasets, track disease patterns, and provide real-time biosurveillance, improving early detection and crisis management. AI also accelerates genomic sequencing and diagnostics, aiding in pathogen identification and countermeasure development. However, the integration of AI into health security also raises ethical concerns, data privacy risks, and the potential for dual-use research that could be misused for harmful purposes. Additionally, AI-generated misinformation can erode public trust and complicate crisis communication, further challenging coordinated biosecurity responses. To address these interconnected challenges, ASEAN must adopt a multi-pronged approach that integrates biosecurity measures into broader regional security strategies, highlighted by commitment #4 of the ASEAN Leaders’ Declaration that states, “Uphold the commitment around responsible and ethical research using high-risk pathogens and toxins and related data to prevent issues related to Dual Use Research of Concern (DURC).” In line with this, to prevent misuse of DURC, strengthening regional oversight and policy coordination will be essential to will ensure that research involving biological materials adheres to the highest ethical and safety standards. By establishing and maintaining national inventories of dangerous pathogens in the region, ASEAN member states can further support efforts to enhance the ability to track, manage and secure high-risk biological agents and mitigate potential risks, misuse, or unauthorized access. A coordinated approach to these measures will reinforce a culture of responsible scientific research, bolster biosafety and biosecurity governance, all while fostering greater regional and international confidence in ASEAN’s research practices.
Strengthening cross-border health security protocols will be essential to enhancing biosurveillance, improving rapid response mechanisms, and mitigating the transboundary spread of infectious diseases. Developing climate-resilient health infrastructure, including secure laboratory facilities, vaccine storage, and supply chain protections, will safeguard critical health assets against climate-driven disruptions. To reduce biological threats, ASEAN must prioritize research into climate-driven changes in pathogen behavior, antimicrobial resistance, and emerging zoonotic threats. Strengthening biosafety and biosecurity regulations, particularly for high-risk facilities handling dangerous pathogens, will be critical in preventing accidental or deliberate biological incidents.
Additionally, fostering regional collaboration on biodefence strategies such as early warning systems, AI-driven biosurveillance tools, and public-private partnerships for biosecurity innovation will reinforce ASEAN’s resilience against emerging health threats. By integrating biosecurity into climate adaptation policies, enhancing regulatory frameworks for AI in health security, and promoting multi-sectoral collaboration, ASEAN can build a more robust and adaptive regional response to evolving biological risks.