EVYD Knowledge Hub by EVYD Technology announced the launch of Day Two of the Special Ministerial Conference for ASEAN Digital Public Health, themed “Collaborate for a Happier and Healthier World Post Pandemic”, held on 6th and 7th October 2021.

Organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and Economy in Brunei Darussalam, Ministry of Health in Brunei Darussalam, Brunei Investment Agency and Temasek Foundation, the conference highlights the urgency for ASEAN leaders to collaborate and strategize viable and sustainable solutions to build resilient healthcare systems that can withstand future challenges.

As part of EVYD Technology’s commitment to support ASEAN’s public healthcare systems, it has formally launched EVYD Knowledge Hub, a community platform that aims to engage and connect key stakeholders including policymakers, health authorities, researchers, academia, NGOs, philanthropies, and industry experts in the public healthcare sector. Recognizing the efficacy of Big Data and Artificial Intelligence in optimising sharper insights and outcomes for public health, EVYD Knowledge Hub hopes to promote the use of science and technology in transforming public health policymaking, ensuring that the region is well-prepared in the face of emerging pandemics – starting with this conference.

“It is an honour for us to co-organise this conference alongside Ministry of Finance and Economy, Ministry of Health, Brunei Investment Agency in Brunei Darussalam and Temasek Foundation, sparking conversations and strategizing solutions around building resilient healthcare systems. Healthcare is one of the most complex sectors, with multiple stakeholders that contribute impactful knowledge and insights. To show our commitment in transforming public health through Big Data and Artificial Intelligence, we have strategically launched EVYD Knowledge Hub to serve as a central community platform in ASEAN, driving intra-regional and trans-border public health initiatives for the benefit of everyone,” said Chua Ming Jie, Chief Executive Officer at EVYD Technology.

While discussions for Day One focused on the lessons learnt from COVID-19, the role of research and digitalisation in shaping public health policies, as well as recovery and future preparedness, Day Two focused on mapping out solutions and next steps to encourage intra-regional collaboration.

The first panel discussion, Investing & Financing in Public Health saw participation from ministers and key stakeholders including Dato Dr Amin Liew Abdullah, Minister at The Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II in Brunei Darussalam; Lawrence Wong, Minister for Finance Singapore; Dr Phusit Prakongsai, Advisor to the Ministry of Public Health in Thailand; Ahmed M. Saeed, Vice-President, Operations 2 in Asian Development Bank; Hun Kim, Director General, Social Infrastructure Department in Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank; Susan Silberman, Board Director, HilleVax Inc; and moderated by Jennifer Lewis, Head of Philanthropy Advocates, Temasek Foundation. They explored ways in which public health investments should be prioritized and evaluated for efficiency and effectiveness, and be financed.

The agenda for Day Two continued with Collaborating in Public Health, a panel discussion reiterating the importance of intra-regional collaboration, and the need to fund transnational research and educational programmes to raise the standards of healthcare. Speakers include Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Binti Mahmood, Professor and Executive Director Sunway Centre for Planetary Health; Professor Jonna Mazet, Vice Provost – Grand Challenges University of California, Davis; Dr Kumnuan Ungchusak, Secretary-General ASEAN Plus FETN Foundation; Dr Kunta Wibawa Dasa Nugraha, Secretary-General, Ministry of Health, Indonesia; Manisha Bhinge, Managing Director, Global Networks and Partnerships, Pandemic Prevention Institute, Health Initiative, The Rockefeller Foundation; Richard Magnus, Deputy Chairman, Temasek Foundation; and Dr Melvin Chua, Director, Data and Computational Science Core, National Cancer Centre Singapore as the moderator. This was followed by a keynote session by Dr Kung Phoak, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community on Living with COVID-19, which defines what the “New Normal” is, and how regional economies can recover despite the pandemic.

The event culminated with the official launch of EVYD Knowledge Hub, and a call to action to showcase the platform’s ongoing trans-border public health initiatives. This includes the joint study Immunogenicity of COVID-19 vaccines and levels of SARS-CoV-2 neutralising antibody in the Bruneian population between the Ministry of Health in Brunei Darussalam, Duke-NUS Medical School and Universiti Brunei Darussalam, supported by EVYD Knowledge Hub and Temasek Foundation. Together with the Ministry of Health in Brunei Darussalam, EVYD Knowledge Hub is also the proud supporter of the proposed ASEAN Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Network’s rumour surveillance platform.

“Ensuring public health safety in the face of emerging pandemics and emergencies requires the collective efforts of multiple sectors of our society. Through this conference, we were able to identify key solutions that can help the region to move ahead – including discussing the importance of impactful financing in driving research and development, as well as building a digital infrastructure that can help to strengthen the efficiency of our healthcare systems. These conversations are crucial to have if we want to work together for the long-term.” shared Dato Dr Amin Liew Abdullah, Minister at The Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II, Brunei Darussalam.