Ministers of the six Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries launched the GMS Health Cooperation Strategy 2019–2023, which provides a framework to guide GMS countries in collectively tackling health issues impacting the subregion through regional cooperation at the 23rd GMS Ministerial Conference (MC-23) held on 18 November 2019 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Risk communication is a critical component of countries’ effective response to health emergencies. This is why it is one of the focus areas of the Asia Pacific Strategy for Emerging Diseases (APSED), the common strategic framework for World Health Organization member countries of the Asia Pacific region to effectively detect, prepare for, and respond to threats posed by emerging infectious diseases. Risk communication helps inform decision making, encourage positive behavior change, and maintain public trust.  

The Ministers of the six member countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) are set to lay the groundwork for the preparation for the 7th GMS Summit of Leaders. 

Hosted by the Royal Government of Cambodia and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the 23rd GMS Ministerial Conference (MC-23) will take place in Phnom Penh on 18 November 2019, with the theme "Greater Integration, Inclusivity and Sustainability in the GMS.”   

ADB convened the GMS Health Cooperation Strategy Writeshop on 23‒25 April 2018 in Bangkok to undertake a final review of the GMS Health Cooperation Strategy 2019-2023 in preparation for the circulation to and endorsement by GMS Health Ministers or their respective delegates.

The Asian Development organized the Writeshop to Finalize the Strategic Results Framework and Prepare Regional Action Plans for the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) Health Cooperation Strategy 2019‒2023 on 26‒27 September 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand.

The overall objective of the roundtable discussion was to find solution for more robust health financing mechanisms to ensure better health care access for migrants in the GMS.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) organized the Regional Workshop on Improving Laboratory Services and Infection Prevention and Control in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) on 4 to 5 June 2018 in Mandalay, Myanmar. The participants were government officials, laboratory services focal persons, infection prevention and control experts from Ministry of Health of Cambodia, Lao PDR Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam; and representatives from ADB and development partners (JICA, USAID, FAO and URC).

The overall objective of the workshop was to improve the quality of laboratory services and infection prevention control capacity within GMS related to emerging and infectious diseases and communicable disease control.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) in coordination with International Organization for Migration
(IOM) organized the Regional Knowledge Exchange Workshop on Malaria Interventions Among
Mobile Migrant Populations in Bangkok on 17 to 18 May 2018 to share successes, challenges,
and lessons learned during the implementation of RCDTA 8959-REG: Malaria and
Communicable Diseases Control in the GMS. 

Financial resource mobilization by the Malaria Trust Fund has helped eradicate malaria and build strong foundations for health systems in the Greater Mekong Subregion.

This 5-year strategy identifies operational priorities for health cooperation for 2019–2023. It is a product of extensive consultations with members of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Working Group on Health Cooperation, GMS government stakeholders, and other GMS partners.