This Protocol provides the basic guidelines to the ASEAN Plus Three Countries towards institutionalizing a fully functional information sharing mechanism for issues related to prevention and control of emerging infectious diseases (EID).

This Protocol was developed to improve the existing regional network for information sharing on emerging infectious diseases by outlining specific guidelines for EID information sharing for ASEAN Plus Three Countries and to strengthen the trust and collaboration among the Countries through its implementation.

The Protocol for Communication and Information Sharing on Emerging Infectious Diseases in the ASEAN Plus Three Countries was endorsed by the ASEAN Experts Group on Communicable Diseases (AEGCD) during their 3rd Meeting (Agenda Item 8) on 12 December 2007, in Vientiane, Lao PDR, and adopted during the 4th Senior Officials Meeting on Health Development (SOM-HD) on 13-14 December.