As the Chair of ASEAN in 2020, Viet Nam led the efforts of the ASEAN member nations in forging a response to the COVID-19 outbreak, said the website https://moderndiplomacy.eu/.

Spraying disinfectant to prevent COVID-19 at bach Mai Hospital (Photo: VNA)

An article published on the site on 27 December noted that as early as 15 February this year, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, after consulting with other ASEAN leaders, issued the ASEAN Chairman's Statement on ASEAN Collective Response to the Outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019.

The statement expressed deep concerns over the spread of COVID-19, and recognized it as a “public health emergency of international concern”, as declared by the WHO.

The statement emphasised on extending help to countries around the globe in their fight against the spread of COVID-19 and also provide humanitarian support to China in the form of supplying masks and other medical facilities, the article said.

As a regional organization, ASEAN also stepped in to work for a joint and coordinated response in meeting the challenges posed by COVID-19, it noted, stressing that ASEAN not only raised the awareness levels of its member countries but also liaised with international organizations and other countries to respond at multiple levels for addressing the problems posed by the virus.

The article, however, said that ASEAN member states need to prioritize the right to health and social protection, or security, for everyone, including the most marginalized and vulnerable, and reform the system of social protection and incorporating it into the economic recovery plan post-COVID to reduce the increasing poverty rate as a result of the pandemic.

It also underlined the necessity for ASEAN to learn from best practices in other countries, especially in forming policies that include wider social and economic opportunities, as well as establish more targeted consultation and cooperation on public health policy, such as the regulations for quarantine, lockdowns or social movement restrictions and other related elements.

The ASEAN Business Advisory Council can partner in the regional response to “engage the private sectors in delivering essential services and supplies and to support displaced workers in their value chains, the article added.

Source: VNA