The Philippines through the leadership of the Department of Health, will host the 2nd Meeting of the ASEAN Health Cluster 3 (Strengthening Health Systems and Access to Healthcare) this July 5-6, 2017 at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila.
The ASEAN Community is comprised of three pillars, namely the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC), ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC). The ASEAN Health cooperation is under the ASCC pillar. Taking direction from the ASEAN Vision 2025 and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint 2025, the ASEAN Health Cooperation adopted the ASEAN Post-2015 Health Development Agenda (APHDA), which encapsulates the shared goals, strategies, priorities and programs of the health sector between 2016-2020. In order to attain the vision, mission and goals of the ASEAN Health Cooperation, the APHDA will focus attention and resources to 20 Health Priorities overseen by four Health Clusters. The ASEAN Health Cluster 3 is responsible for Strengthening Health Systems and Access to Care.
As chair of Health Cluster 3, the Philippines is mandated to convene a Cluster Meeting at least once a year. In the 1st meeting held last July 26-28, 2016 in Manila, the Cluster Work Plan and Terms of Reference were formulated. For this 2nd meeting, the Cluster 3 work plan as endorsed by the Senior Officials Meeting on Health and Development (SOMHD) will be presented. The Lead Countries will also present their concept notes for the activities included in the work plan and there will be a discussion on the monitoring and evaluation system to be implemented.
Around 70 participants are expected to attend comprising of delegations from the ASEAN Member States, Cluster 3 Coordinators, Focal Points, ASEAN Secretariat, and Host Agency.
The DOH Team for this event is composed of staff from the Office for Policy and Health Systems Cluster, Bureau of International Health Cooperation and Health Policy Development and Planning Bureau. DOH
