Development partners making a difference: The European Union supports WHO in eight Asian countries to prepare for the future

Communities across 8 countries in Southeast Asia gained better access to COVID-19 services, including vaccinations, and countries are now better prepared for future emerging diseases thanks to a dynamic 3-year project funded by the European Union (EU). In 2021, the EU and the World Health Organization (WHO) agreed to strengthen pandemic response and preparedness in 8 countries from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region: Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam. From 2021-2023, the EU contributed EUR 20 million and adopted a flexible, highly responsive approach to how the funding is spent in view of rapidly changing conditions. This allowed WHO to work closely with national governments, and other partners such as civil society organizations, to identify and provide the services that people needed in real time. WHO delivered essential equipment, trained health workers, supported outreach campaigns and mobilised over 600 additional...