The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Western Pacific today welcomed ministers, other senior health officials and key partners from across the Western Pacific to the 75th session of the Regional Commission. WHO’s regional umbrella body convenes annually to develop policies, adopt resolutions and take decisions to improve the health of the more than 1.9 billion people living in the Western Pacific.
WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific Dr. Saia Mau Piukala, the first Pacific Islander to hold the position, welcomed health leaders to the first regional committee of her tenure.
“As the first regional director from the Pacific, the challenges we are discussing, such as rising sea levels and increasingly frequent disasters, are realities that my loved ones and fellow Pacific Islanders live with every day.” Dr. Piukala said. “We are keenly aware of the enormity of the task before us, but with mutual trust and support we can meet these challenges.”
Dr. Piukala’s talk featured key updates on WHO’s work with countries and partners in the region from July 2023 to June 2024. He also introduced a draft vision for improving health in the region that will guide WHO’s work with Member States over the next five years. .
“This vision, developed jointly by WHO and member states, is a testament to the beauty, strength and diversity of this region,” Dr Piucala said. “Building on this vision, we will work with our partners to build a sustainable, resilient and healthy future for all people in the Western Pacific.”
The Cook Islands Minister of Health, the Honorable Vainetutai Rose Toki Brown, has been elected as this year’s Regional Committee Chair. Associate Professor Nguyen Thi Lien Phuong, Vice Minister of Health of Vietnam, was elected as vice chair.
My lord. Toki Brown thanked the delegates for their trust and confidence in electing her as chair, adding: This is the first Regional Committee meeting under the direction of our new Regional Director, Dr. Saia Mau Piukala, and we have a lot of important ground to cover. ”
She continued, “I know that you are all committed to the health of this region, and I know that you all agree on the value of us coming together here as part of the World Health Organization. The success of our new regional vision depends on the mutual accountability of Member States and the WHO. I would like to thank you again for your confidence in selecting me as Chair of this important conference. I’m really looking forward to the discussion.”
A new vision for community health
The new vision, “Weaving Health for Families, Communities and Societies in the Western Pacific Region (2025-2029): Working together to improve health, well-being and save lives,” is being joined for approval. presented to the country. This vision focuses on the similarities of mat weaving, a traditional activity in the Asia-Pacific region, and the collaborative efforts needed by WHO, governments and partners to improve the health and well-being of people in the region. It symbolizes our efforts. This vision consists of five government-led vertical actions, interwoven with three WHO horizontal actions over the next five years.
The five vertical actions, led by governments and in collaboration with WHO and other stakeholders, include:
1. Innovative primary health care for universal health coverage
2. Climate-resilient healthcare system
3. Resilient communities, societies and systems for health security
4. Healthy people throughout their lives
5. Technology and innovation for future health equity.
The three horizontal actions by WHO are:
1. National offices with skills to scale up and innovate
2. Agile support teams in regional offices
3. Effective communication for public health.
Action framework and panel discussion on priority issues
Building medical facilities that are resilient to climate change
Countries in the WHO Western Pacific Region are at risk from climate change and climate-related disasters. Their impact on health depends on the resilience of the community and the health facilities serving it. Today’s panel discussion at the Regional Committee included representatives from Fiji, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Vietnam. He stressed the need to protect health by ensuring that hospitals and clinics are climate resilient. The benefit of joining the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH) is to leverage the collective expertise and resources of WHO member countries to help countries transform their efforts in building climate-resilient, low-carbon health systems. It was emphasized that this is to provide a platform for accelerating collective action. States and other stakeholders.
WHO is working with countries and regions in the Western Pacific to protect health from climate change, support vulnerability assessments, support the development and updating of adaptation plans, and work towards climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable health facilities. We are tracking the progress of our efforts to implement this.
Exhibition introducing health issues and WHO initiatives
In addition to the main agenda, a series of seven exhibits on themes related to health and WHO’s work in the region were presented today. The Health Equity Profile exhibit allows attendees to view information about specific country health indicators and explore their complex connections to society. and geospatial factors. This gives users a deeper understanding of how to prioritize and implement strategies to achieve health for all. A special exhibition will feature collaborative artwork created by staff from the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office to commemorate World Sight Day 2024 and World Mental Health Day 2024. These drawings representing eyes and hearts symbolize what people most want to see in life and the importance of promoting mental health in the workplace. WHO’s continued efforts to improve both eye health and mental health for all people rely on an integrated approach, a central theme of the draft regional vision. The Future Health Museum exhibit features 15 “artifacts of the future,” including community-based “morning mats.” People will be encouraged to meet each morning to discuss their health and well-being. And climate-controlled tuk-tuks are the three-seater electric vehicles of the future that emit clean air instead of harmful exhaust fumes. These were co-developed through visionary work involving WHO staff and partners. There are also 15 historical artifacts celebrating public health milestones from the past 75 years. Reaching the Unreached Map Explorers of the Western Pacific Region features an interactive web-based mapping app that helps users locate geographically underserved populations across the region. It can shed light on the problem. the health inequalities they face; This exhibit highlights the critical role of data-driven health interventions to reach unreached populations. Finally, the exhibit on the dangers of new and emerging tobacco and nicotine products provides examples of these products and explains the tactics used by the tobacco and related industries to attract them. Children and young people may start smoking, undermining tobacco control efforts. The exhibition will also provide information on how countries and partners can stop the consumption of these products.
Note to editors:
The 75th Regional Commission for the Western Pacific will be held from Monday 21 October to Friday 25 October at the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific in Manila, Philippines. Agenda and timetable are available online. A live stream of the minutes and all other official documents, fact sheets and videos on the issues to be addressed can be accessed here. Follow @WHOWPRO on Facebook for real-time updates.×Instagram and YouTube, hashtag #RCM75.
WHO is the United Nations specialized agency responsible for public health, working with 194 member states across six regions. Each WHO region has a regional committee, which is a governing body made up of ministers of health and senior officials from member states. Regional committees meet annually to agree on health activities and prioritize WHO’s work.
The WHO Western Pacific region includes American Samoa (United States), Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia (France), Guam (United States), Hong Kong SAR (China), Japan, and Kiribati. , Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Macau Special Administrative Region (China), Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Nauru, New Caledonia (France), New Zealand, Niue, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (United States), Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Pitcairn Island (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), Republic of Korea, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Wallis and Futuna (France).
