Learnings from Asia

Abstract

AbstractThe authors draw learnings from Asia by examining the strategies employed by governments in countries that have successfully contained the pandemic. They study the policies and strategies implemented in Taiwan, South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, East Timor, and Mongolia, countries that successfully countered the ravages of COVID-19.The experience of these countries demonstrates the importance of strong leadership in mitigating the pandemic by harnessing the power of rapid response, evidence-based approaches, transparent communication, and partnerships in building a sustainable and successful pandemic response. The leaders of these countries acted decisively in the COVID-19 response with a whole of government approach. The presence of robust public health systems along with national institutions that can act swiftly to prevent the spread of infection was an essential prerequisite for containing the pandemic. The process of enforcing top-down programs was shifted to a multi-stakeholder, participatory approach. Strong and compassionate leadership was undoubtedly the defining trait of nations to navigate time-sensitive issues in today’s pandemic era. Their experiences showed that policies that addressed equity issues and were compatible with the cultural context had a more enduring impact. In countries, where large numbers of infections are still being reported, it is time that leaders acknowledge the importance of acting rapidly on the best available evidence, with transparency and responsibility that is particularly critical in low-income, fragile settings.