In Asia, the Foundation’s work in building disease surveillance networks has focused on the Mekong Basin Disease Surveillance (MBDS) regional network and its member countries. The focus on cross-border surveillance has been justified primarily by the geographic location of the countries, epidemiologic landscape, active economic developments, and the mobility of people and animals, which all contribute to making these borders conducive to disease transmission.
The Rockefeller Foundation is seen as a thought leader in cross-border surveillance. In the Mekong region, the Foundation is “synonymous” with cross-border surveillance as validated by the statements of development partners and country officials who describe it as “visionary, comprehensive, and cross-sectoral.”