JAKARTA, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- The health ministry of Indonesia on Thursday urged ASEAN member nations to step up cooperation in the health sector in a bid to prevent the spread of diseases in the region.
Indonesian Health Minister Nila Moeloek said that countries in the Southeast Asia region have to be united to prevent viruses triggering diseases or outbreaks from moving from one nation to another.
"The spread of diseases does not recognize borders of nations. Health sector requires cooperation among countries," she said at the Health Ministry.
The minister said that the governments of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member nations have to continuously cooperate in the health sector.
Taking the spread of Zika viruses in recent years for example, Moeloek said that the spread of viruses to other nations in the region could be prevented.
