08 COVER STORY The HEALTH | November-December. 2025
UNITED VISION: Leaders from ASEAN and Plus Three nations gathered in Kuala Lumpur to reaffirm their commitment to regional cooperation and solidarity in addressing shared challenges
Healing together
• The APT Summit reinforced the commitment to enhancing regional cooperation across sectors, especially in health.
• APTRMS initiative proposed at the summit to create a regional stockpile of essential medical supplies to better prepare for future health crises.
• The summit underscored the importance of equitable growth, particularly for youth and women, for a sustainable and interconnected East Asia.
THE 28th ASEAN Plus Three( APT) Summit, convened in Kuala Lumpur, marked a significant moment in the ongoing evolution of regional cooperation among ASEAN Member States and their Northeast Asian partners: China, Japan, and South Korea.
Since its inception in 1997, the APT framework has served as a vital platform for promoting collaboration across sectors, including health, finance, and environmental sustainability.
This year ' s summit focused heavily on strengthening health resilience in response to past crises, notably the Covid- 19 pandemic, underscoring the need for a more coordinated approach to public health emergencies.
ESTABLISHING A REGIONAL HEALTH STOCKPILE
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, chairing the summit, underscored the need to establish the ASEAN Plus Three Reserve of Medical Supplies for Public Health Emergencies( APTRMS).
This initiative aimed to create a regional stockpile of essential medical supplies, designed to ensure that member states are better equipped to address future health crises. The APTRMS is envisioned as a mechanism for swift, coordinated
“ The ASEAN Plus Three experience shows that shared challenges can be turned into strength.”
- Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim responses to the emergency needs of member states during public health crises, similar to the challenges faced during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Anwar said that the proposed reserve would enhance collective resilience and enable swift responses to public health challenges, reflecting lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“ We initiated the APT more than three
MoH ensures health excellence decades ago to establish enduring frameworks for dialogue and cooperation. Born in the wake of the Asian Financial Crisis in 1996, the APT has prevailed over other crises such as the 2008 financial crisis and, most recently, the Covid-19 pandemic.”
His remarks underscored the importance of building on past experiences to forge a robust framework for future health emergencies.
The summit served as a reminder of the APT ' s historical context, shaped by a series of economic and health crises. Leaders acknowledged the bloc ' s ability to navigate these challenges, recognising that solidarity and cooperation among member states were essential in overcoming adversity.
Anwar noted:“ The ASEAN Plus Three experience shows that shared challenges can be turned into strength.”
His comments reinforced the belief that collaboration could transform crises into opportunities for growth and improvement.
THE Ministry of Health( MoH) reached its highest state of readiness to ensure smooth and safe health, medical, and emergency operations during the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad confirmed that 512 personnel from 30 hospitals nationwide, including three university hospitals, were mobilised for the event.
The team comprised 240 personnel, including emergency physicians, medical officers, assistant medical officers, trained nurses, and ambulance drivers. The remaining 272 personnel included