The MBDS (Mekong Basin Disease Surveillance) cooperation is a self-organized sub-regional network commenced in 2001. It is a collaboration effort among six Mekong Basin countries including Cambodia, China, Lao P.D.R, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. It aims to strengthen national and sub-regional capabilities in infectious disease surveillance and outbreak response, especially on 18 currently designated priority diseases including Ebola, MERS, Zika, Malaria and Dengue to rapidly and effectively control them.

In collaboration with different Ministries and partners, MBDS member countries are trying to contain coronavirus pandemic situation with respective countries’ National Action Plan, and Infectious Disease Act/Law. Countries provide useful and up-to-date information to public on national portals such as Ministries’ website, social networks, TV and Information Education Communication (IEC) materials.

There are National level committees for prevention, containment, control, settlement, information dissemination, public support and law enforcement. All member countries are preparing hospital case management facilities, quarantine facilities, PPE supply, dis-infection at public areas, border areas quarantine, strengthening lab testing capacity and logistics management for pandemic situation.

COVID-19 situation in Mekong Region (As of 30 September 2020)

MBDS Regional Activities

Dr. Ly Sovann, MBDS Board, Director, CDC Department, Ministry of Health, Cambodia has presented “Cambodia COVID-19 Situation and Response Experiences" in “EU CBRN COE South East Asia Webinar Series on COVID-19” on 18 September 2020.

Dr. Soawapak Hinjoy, MBDS Country Coordinator, Director of Office of International Cooperation, CDC, Ministry of Public Health, Thailand has presented “The lessons learnt from Covid-19 management and upcoming wave preparedness from Thailand” at Connecting Organizations for Regional Disease Surveillance (CORDS) regular COVID-19 update meeting on 4 September 2020.

MBDS Secretariat has regular communication with National Health Laboratory, MOHS, Myanmar and Communicable Disease Control Department, MOH, Lao P.D.R for strengthening Antimicrobial Resistant (AMR) surveillance in those countries.

MBDS Cross Border Coordinator from Chiang Rai Provincial Health Office (Thailand) participated in the “Meeting to follow up the results of the year 2020 of Tuberculosis (TB) disease and operation direction for 2021” on 21 September 2020 in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand.

MBDS Cross Border Coordinator from Mukdahan Provincial Health Office (Thailand) participated in the “Regional Artemisinin Initiative to Elimination” in Mukdahan Province, Thailand on 20 - 22 September 2020.

MBDS eNewsletter Oct.2020