The Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) Public Health Network organised a consultation round with its key-stakeholders, including international and regional organisations, to take stock of the priorities for each stakeholder in tackling the gaps and challenges in the management of public health emergencies. The consultation was held on 16 and 17 September 2013 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The Public Health Network has contributed, with the support from the Government of Japan, to strengthen the bi-regional capacity to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies. In its endeavour to establish a platform for collaboration on public health issues between Asia and Europe, the Network has addressed common health issues for the two regions and it has fostered multi-sector engagement. Based on the findings and lessons from the initial 5 years of implementing the ASEM initiative, and the inputs from its key-stakeholders, ASEF aims to identify further gaps and challenges in managing public health emergencies, including pandemics, and to maximise the collective expertise and resources.