Participants stand for a photo during the launch of the ASEAN-UK Health Security Partnership Programme in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on July 4.

UK, ASEAN launch five-year health programme

The United Kingdom and ASEAN have launched a five-year programme to improve health security and help Southeast Asia better respond to disease outbreaks and climate-related health threats.
The ASEAN-UK Health Security Partnership Programme was officially launched in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on July 4.
The programme is funded by the UK and aims to strengthen regional preparedness, improve access to healthcare, and support joint responses to health emergencies.
The programme will also fund research and innovation, promote expert partnerships, and help ASEAN tackle complex threats that affect people, animals, plants and the environment.
Three core components form the structure of the programme.
The first is a grant facility that will provide financial support to health-related projects in ASEAN countries, including ASEAN institutions. The funding will support regional health priorities, and calls for proposals will be announced later this year.
The second component is the Expert Partnerships Pillar, which will support knowledge exchange between institutions in ASEAN, the UK and other regions, especially countries in the global south. This includes the sharing of best practices, technology transfer, peer learning, and cross-border cooperation.
The third pillar involves a partnership with the Quadripartite, made up of the World Health Organisation, Food and Agriculture Organisation, World Organisation for Animal Health, and UN Environment Programme.
This pillar will help implement ASEAN’s One Health Joint Plan of Action to tackle threats such as antimicrobial resistance, zoonotic diseases, and climate-linked health risks.
The Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr Kao Kim Hourn, said the programme is a timely initiative that supports ASEAN’s efforts to strengthen pandemic preparedness and build more resilient health systems.
UK Ambassador to ASEAN, Ms Sarah Tiffin, said the Covid-19 pandemic showed that no country is immune to global health threats.
The UK is proud to work hand-in-hand with ASEAN to ensure a healthier, safer future for communities across the region and beyond, she said.
The new programme aligns with the ASEAN-UK Plan of Action for 2022-2026 and highlights the UK’s growing role as a Dialogue Partner. It also supports ASEAN’s health cooperation agenda and broader regional goals.
The Health Security Partnership aims to reduce the social, economic and health impacts of future emergencies across ASEAN and Timor-Leste, while also contributing to global health security.
It will focus on three outcomes: strengthening emergency preparedness and response, improving health system resilience and equity, and addressing the health effects of climate change.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update July 9, 2025)