1966:  Task Force to look into the formation of a regional structure to undertake cooperative activities in teaching, research and training in tropical medicine under SEAMEO

1967:  Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Tropical Medicine established, with 4 National Tropical Medicine Centres (in Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand & Vietnam); 1st Secretary-General, Prof. Chamlong Harinasuta

1968: SEAMEO Regional Tropical Medicine and Public Health Project First 5-year Development Plan 1970-75 adopted

1971:  8 TROPMED National Centres, in Indonesia, Khmer Republic, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam

1975:  Activities confined to 4 TROPMED National Centres, in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand; Cooperation with Singapore continued under USAID-ASEAN Programme for Applied Tropical Medicine and Public Health

1990s:  SEAMEO’s Strategic Plan for the 1990s provided guidelines on 5 Key Result Areas i.e. Relevance of programmes; Increased linkages; Access to markets; Financial viability; & Improved management

1992:  Resumption of assistance to Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam

1993: Change from SEAMEO TROPMED Project to SEAMEO TROPMED Network; National Centres to Regional Centres by  SEAMEO Council Resolution

The Network as it is today, operates through 4 specialized Centres, as follows: