With the support from the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA)’s technical expertise in the International Health Regulations Strengthening Project (IHR-SP) and Canada’s Weapon Thread Reduction Program (WTRP) funding, the ASEAN Secretariat conducted a workshop on Risk Assessment and Risk Communication (RARC) from 23-26 October 2023 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Attended by 83 participants from Ministries of Health and relevant government institutions, the workshop was aimed at enhancing the capacity of ASEAN member states to assess risks and communicate them in the event of emergency.

 The workshop presented speakers from UKHSA and WHO to elaborate on fundamentals of toxicology and exposure assessment, as well as risk characterization, management and assessment. The session was continued with discussion on communication aspects and multi-agency coordination. To combine theory with practical applications, participants were divided into several groups to discuss case studies and exercises.