Pandemics do not wait. They move across borders, disrupt societies, and challenge healthcare systems. Understanding how pandemics begin, spread, and how to respond to them is key to staying one step ahead of the next global outbreak.
This March marked the return of the third edition of the OMI/Institut Pasteur Global Health Seminar Series in Ho Chi Minh City, focusing on Southeast Asia. Held March 22-26, the program brought together leading experts and emerging professionals for a pandemics-focused course, designed not only to inform but to prepare.
The course opened with a welcome from Dr. Trung Vu Nguyen, Director of the Institut Pasteur in Ho Chi Minh City and our local host, who emphasized the critical role of international cooperation in global health. Over four days, participants experienced lectures, case studies, and an interactive outbreak response simulation, blending theory with real-world application.
At the heart of the program was Dr. Arnaud Fontanet, a world-renowned medical epidemiologist whose career spans continents and decades of work on infectious diseases. With experience ranging from malaria research in Thailand to HIV/AIDS work in Ethiopia, and later leading emerging disease epidemiology efforts at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, he brought both scientific depth and practical insight. Since joining the Institut Pasteur in 2002, his work has focused on viral hepatitis and emerging viruses, and in 2014 he became Director of its Centre for Global Health. His long-standing connection to Vietnam and regional engagement added a personal dimension to the course. As course director, Dr. Fontanet led key lectures, including Introductions to Pandemics and Epidemiological Indicators, and shared his extensive expertise on COVID-19. During the COVID-19 crisis, he played a key advisory role, serving on scientific councils guiding the French government and the European Commission.
Dr. Quang Chan Luong, Head of the Department of Disease Control and Prevention at the Institut Pasteur in Ho Chi Minh City, presented on disease eradication strategies and led a case study on a measles outbreak in Phu Quoc, Vietnam. Dr. Erik A. Karlsson, Head of the Virology Unit at the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge and Director of the Cambodian National Influenza Center and WHO H5 Reference Laboratory, focused on the human-animal-environment interface. He delivered sessions on animal reservoirs, zoonotic spillovers, and pathogen discovery, including a case study on the current H5 avian influenza situation in Cambodia. Dr. Natalie Fischer, senior epidemiologist with the Outbreak Investigation Task Force at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, emphasized the power of surveillance in pandemic prevention and co-led a tabletop simulation exercise with Dr. Diana Jeang, a current intern at the same task force. Dr. Quang Duy Pham, Head of the Division of Planning at the Institut Pasteur in Ho Chi Minh City, reflected on the first 100 days of COVID-19. Dr. Hien Do, epidemiologist with the Health Security and Emergency Program at the World Health Organization Country Office in Vietnam, guided participants through risk assessment methods and their practical application.
Perhaps the most transformative element of the course was the interactive tabletop simulation exercise. In a carefully designed cholera outbreak scenario, participants stepped into the roles of government officials, scientific and technical advisors, and representatives of international organizations, analyzing data under pressure, coordinating strategies, and navigating uncertainty just like in real global outbreaks. It was here that theory turned into action. The group’s diversity enhanced the experience. Thirty participants, including physicians, public health professionals, and veterinarians from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and China, who represented nineteen institutions, brought a wide range of perspectives. This network, spanning national borders and professional backgrounds, may prove to be one of the course’s most enduring outcomes. As Dr. Fontanet noted:
“It is always a pleasure to meet carefully selected, enthusiastic young medical professionals and to raise their awareness of the threats posed by pandemics. Remarkably, after each course I have given in the past, I have had the opportunity to meet participants again in their home countries during outbreak investigations in the following months, demonstrating the power of networking.”
In an increasingly connected world, the next pandemic is not a question of if, but when. Programs like this one in Ho Chi Minh City show that preparedness is built on knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and early action. When pandemics move, they move fast, and the only way to stay ahead is to be ready together.
The OMI is proud of this initiative and thanks the course director, faculty, fellows, and local hosts for their contributions. Today’s participants may be tomorrow’s first responders.
Giang Pham, MPH
OMI fellow from Vietnam
My key takeaway from this seminar is that we continuously face the risk of pandemics, both now and in the future. I have learned the importance of understanding our roles, how surveillance systems operate, what resources are needed to sustain effective surveillance and rapid response, and how to use data to improve preparedness and prevention.
Tiger Soulaphy, MD, MSc
OMI fellow from Laos
A personal highlight was the tabletop exercise on a cholera outbreak. Divided into four groups, Ministry of Health, scientists, MSF, and WHO, we simulated a real outbreak, seeing how stakeholders collaborate and coordinate responses. I learned a great deal from this session, particularly about decision-making, communication, and my own role within such a system.
Minh Hang Duong, MD, MSc
OMI fellow from Vietnam
Dr. Karlsson’s lecture on pathogen discovery was my favorite, as it aligns with my current research field and professional trajectory. His statement, “Hospitals are where we notice failure, not where we prevent it,” reflects the shift from reactive clinical care to proactive public health and surveillance. With a background in clinical practice, I have seen how healthcare systems often respond only after disease progression. This reinforced my decision to pursue research in early detection and prevention, particularly in emerging respiratory viruses.
Janin Nouhin, PhD
OMI fellow from Cambodia
I greatly benefited from the sessions on the introduction to pandemics and epidemiological indicators. They provided a clear framework for understanding how pandemics are defined and monitored, and offered practical guidance on interpreting key indicators. This is highly relevant to my work in emerging infectious diseases, as it strengthens my ability to link virological data with epidemiological trends and supports more robust risk assessment and outbreak response.
Dian Qi, MBBS, MPH
OMI fellow from China
I found the measles outbreak case study very useful because the 10 steps of outbreak investigation provided a clear and practical framework, and the discussion questions made the process more concrete. The case study emphasized the importance of moving systematically from information gathering to analysis and interpretation. I believe this approach will be very helpful in my future research and practice.
