In the wake of SARS, President George W Bush and Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong agreed that a joint US-Singapore facility should be established to tackle emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases and epidemics in the region. After a meeting in May 2003, both leaders released a joint statement that said “that the two countries should explore prospects for collaborative efforts to understand new health threats which put the world community at risk, including tropical diseases and biological warfare agents.”

Subsequently, the US Ambassador Mr Franklyn L. Lavin and Acting Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance and expand bilateral cooperative efforts in health and medical sciences and in confronting health security threats on 17 Oct 2003.

President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong announced their intent to establish the Regional Emerging Diseases Intervention (REDI) Centre in Singapore to facilitate international exchange of information and expertise to deal with emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases at the 2003 APEC Leaders’ Meeting on 21 Oct 2003. The REDI Center was officially opened on May 24, 2004 at Singapore’s Biopolis hub for biomedical research.