Asia Summit on Global Health (ASGH) 2026, 11 May 2026, Hong Kong
 

At ASGH 2026, global health leaders came together to reflect on lessons from COVID-19 and chart a more resilient path for pandemic preparedness through stronger international collaboration.
 

The plenary session, “Strengthening Pandemic Preparedness through Global Collaboration”, was moderated by Professor Leo Poon (University of Hong Kong / The Hong Kong Jockey Club Global Health Institute), with speakers including Professor Ibrahim Abubakar (University College London), Dr Kumanan Rasanathan (World Health Organization), Professor Wang Yu (former China CDC), Dr Leung Yiu-hong (HKSAR Department of Health), Ms Feng Lan (China Pharmaceutical Innovation and Research Development Association), and Dr In-Kyu Yoon (International Vaccine Institute).
 

Speakers highlighted critical gaps in coordination, governance, and preparedness exposed by the pandemic, and discussed strategies to strengthen global health system resilience. They emphasised the need for scientifically grounded yet agile public health agencies. As Dr Rasanathan noted, “Public health agencies need to maintain scientific independence to synthesise, act upon, and provide advice based on the best available science. They also require operational flexibility because, during a pandemic or outbreak, it is not sufficient to rely solely on strategies used for previous outbreaks.”
 

The discussion underscored the importance of integrated early warning and surveillance systems, alongside stronger national capacities in healthcare infrastructure and workforce readiness. Public–private partnerships were seen as key to scaling innovation, while equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics remains a shared global priority.
 

Looking ahead, priorities include advancing cross-border data sharing, leveraging digital health and AI, exploring sustainable financing, and strengthening local manufacturing and R&D collaboration.
 

The session delivered a clear message: stronger collaboration, more resilient systems, and continued innovation are critical to future pandemic readiness.