A meeting of Health Ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) opened here Wednesday to seek development of sustainable programs for cooperation within the regional group.

Under the theme of "ASEAN Unity in Health Emergencies", the 8th ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting was attended by more than 100 delegates from the 10-nation ASEAN and its dialogue partners -- China, Japan and South Korea.

Addressing the opening of the meeting, First Secretary of the Myanmar State Peace and Development Council Lieutenant-General Thein Sein said the event is being held against the backdrop of emerging health emergencies and crisis in the region and worldwide.

Noting that during the last two years, the world has witnessed the challenges of more and more public health emergencies such as Tsunami, bird flu and earthquake, Thein Sein called for unity, solidarity and resilience in facing the challenges.

He said that the meeting will also be complemented by ASEAN+3 (China, Japan and South Korea) partnership's process in developing better understanding and cooperation for emerging infectious diseases.

In addressing avian influenza, he emphasized the need for close coordination and pooling of resources in regional cooperation for effective prevention and control activities.

In responding to the growing threat of public health emergencies which respect no national or geographical boundaries, he pointed out that it is now time for countries to be more aware of these threats and to strengthen the existing disease surveillance network and equip laboratories for rapid diagnosis and response for protection of the world population.

At the session, Singapore Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan also called for unity and solidarity within ASEAN when all disasters, whether natural or man-made, lead to health emergencies.

Citing a Chinese saying "When faced with a crisis, near neighbors can help us better than relatives from afar", Khaw said ASEAN member countries are more than just neighbors, adding that they are also friends and relatives as well.

He proposed to do three things in fight against the new enemy of H5N1 avian influenza virus, outlining them as ASEAN solidarity with member countries helping one another, ASEAN cooperation and ASEAN transparency.

Joining in health collaboration activities with ASEAN countries, the Second ASEAN+3 Health Ministers Meeting will follow on Thursday and the first ever ASEAN+China Health Ministers Meeting on Friday.

According to meeting sources, the ASEAN+3 meeting will focus important issues such as ASEAN+3 emerging infectious diseases (EID)program Phase-2 work plan, operationalization of ASEAN+3 framework for cooperation on integration of traditional medicine and complementary and alternative medicine into national health care system, ASEAN China workshop on social safety nets in health and Japan's assistance to ASEAN countries to control avian influenza and for pandemic preparedness plan.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

(Xinhua News Agency June 21, 2006)