Western Pacific Region
Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala
Director of WPRO
In 2024, WHO and the countries and areas of the Western Pacific Region reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to achieving health for all. The Regional Committee endorsed a new vision for the work of WHO with Member States that is aligned with the global WHO General Programme of Work and regional country cooperation strategies: Weaving Health for Families, Communities and Societies in the Western Pacific Region (2025–2029).
Health outcomes are the result of many stakeholders’ efforts, woven together like a mat. Member States and other stakeholders take action to achieve transformative primary health care for universal health coverage; climate-resilient health systems; resilient communities and systems for health security; healthier people throughout the life course; and technology and innovation for future health equity.
These actions are intertwined with WHO efforts to equip country offices with skills for scaling up and innovation; provide nimble support from the Regional Office; and implement effective communication for health. Over the past year we’ve seen the effectiveness of place-based approaches to public health. Primary health-care centres – the first community contact points – are crucial for addressing the health needs for everyone, especially mothers and children. Transformative primary health care is the point of convergence to address communicable and noncommunicable diseases, including mental health and oral health.
In the Western Pacific Region, 62% of people live in coastal areas with the threat of displacement from sea-level rise, storms and flooding. Health facilities must be climate resilient, and preparedness for potential public health emergencies starts with resilient communities.
Health promoting schools and healthy cities and islands initiatives show how settings where people live, learn, work and play increase ownership in health programmes.
The virtual or online space – where people increasingly interact on many levels – offers untapped potential benefits for health consultations, telemedicine and data-driven systems to inform policies.
Our collaborative efforts are already making a difference. In Cambodia and Papua New Guinea, WHO helped pilot service delivery models that leverage data and digital technologies to expand access to modern, high-quality, people-centred care. With WHO support, Viet Nam and the Cook Islands passed legislation banning e-cigarettes to protect health, especially for young people.
WHO has responded to acute needs, delivering life-saving supplies and mental health services to nomadic herder communities in Mongolia facing an extreme weather event. In the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the Philippines and Viet Nam, WHO supported relief efforts following Typhoon Yagi, and helped contain outbreaks of measles and mpox in several countries. We also worked with countries vulnerable to climate risks, including Fiji and Kiribati, to improve resilience.
The Region’s “weaving” vision will continue to guide our work.We are in challenging times – with fewer resources and greater needs. But I remain determined and optimistic.
With unwavering commitment, we are focused on the most critical needs of the nearly 2 billion people in the Region. We will continue to work tirelessly to support Member States in advancing their health and well-being.
PROGRESS ON THE TRIPLE BILLION TARGETS
Regional Aggregation
These charts illustrate the contributions of various tracer indicators which are driving progress toward the Triple Billion targets for universal health coverage, health emergencies and healthier populations. Each stacked bar shows the relative contribution of these tracer indicators over time, highlighting both positive gains and areas where progress has reversed. The overlaid lines indicate the net impact of outcome indicators associated with each of the Triple Billion targets, offering a broader view of how health impact is evolving
WHO CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS HEALTH OUTCOMES
Regional Aggregation of the Output Prioritization
Overview of the financial implementation of the prioritized outputs
Highlighted Results
- Universal health coverage
- Health emergencies protection
- Healthier populations
- Effective and efficient WHO
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WP-1_Action on noncommunicable diseases in primary health care
Integration of noncommunicable disease (NCD) prevention and control in primary health care (PHC) is a core strategy for reducing preventable deaths in the WHO Western Pacific Region, which constitutes 25% of the global burden. PHC helps overcome issues of access, affordability and referral systems for secondary care. NCD prevention and control in PHC enables screening to address risk factors and prevent complications of NCDs. Transformative PHC is central to the regional vision, with WHO assisting Member States in integrating the WHO Package of Essential Noncommunicable Disease interventions (WHO PEN) into PHC to improve access and reduce mortality. Projects in Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Viet Nam. There are outstanding examples of innovations in PHC, including the development of national NCD and cancer control plans, training health workers and expanding WHO PEN, Healthy Hearts Programme, diabetic foot care, digital monitoring, national screening and lifestyle clinics.Development of plans for childhood cancer have been supported by WHO in Mongolia, the Philippines and Viet Nam through the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer. WHO also supported several countries with national action plans for cervical cancer.Since the pandemic, the incidence of mental health conditions has escalated. WHO prioritizes community-based programmes that focus on self-care and prevention through PHC in the Philippines and improving access for children in Malaysia and Papua New Guinea. WHO also supports sensory health initiatives for eye health and deafness.The Western Pacific Region has the highest burden of dental caries of any WHO region, with estimated 800 000 people who have inadequate care, hence its prominence in the new workplan. -
WP-1_Action to tackle antimicrobial resistance
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses an existential threat to individuals and communities, ultimately impacting global health security as the proliferation and spread of resistant microbes can undermine decades of gains in infectious disease control.
The initiative to accelerate action to fight AMR in the Asia-Pacific region, co-led by Japan and the WHO regional offices for the Western Pacific and South-East Asia, focused on garnering high-level political support for a joint position paper on AMR in the human health sector, which was endorsed by 30 countries and presented at the United Nations General Assembly High-level Meeting on AMR in September 2024.
WHO worked with Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Fiji, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Samoa and Tonga in updating, developing and implementing AMR national action plans (NAP), surveillance of AMR and antimicrobial use, antimicrobial stewardship and response to AMR pathogen outbreaks.
With WHO support, Solomon Islands endorsed their first NAP for AMR and Viet Nam its second. Cambodia was supported to publish standard operating procedures for AMR surveillance and two annual surveillance reports and is finalizing outbreak response guidance. WHO worked with Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Fiji, Mongolia and the Philippines to conduct outbreak response capacity-building workshops for multidisciplinary teams of hospital professionals. In Papua New Guinea and Samoa, WHO supported revisions of the national antibiotic guidelines. -
WP-1_Addressing the health workforce crisis
The gaps in health-care workforces in countries are a chronic issue spanning decades. They are often related to economic situations that are difficult to overcome. In many parts of the Region, these gaps are the root cause of inabilities to deliver basic health services.WHO supports a systems approach to health workforce issues, including workforce data collection through instruments such as the National Health Workforce Accounts, labour market trends and data on international migration.In 2024, Workload Indicators of Staffing Need (WISN) studies were completed in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Fiji and the Philippines. WISN analyses ensure adequate workforce distribution.Meanwhile, quick wins and practical solutions are urgently needed.In Papua New Guinea, the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific supported a comprehensive labour market analysis, leading to the approval of budgets for recruitment of 2799 health-care workers and a 10-year costed workforce plan. Cambodia developed the National Health Workforce Development Plan 2024–2033, to address low health worker density. WHO also facilitated the Philippine–Pacific Health Initiative, fostering collaboration on health workforce education and retention.In Nauru, WHO conducted a nursing workforce analysis using a health labour market framework, identifying strategic policy options to address workforce shortages, reliance on foreign-trained nurses and high attrition.In 2024, the Philippine–Pacific Initiative was launched to enable immediate action at the subregional level for deployment of professionals, training of doctors and nurses, capacity-building, deployment and policy reforms. -
WP-1_Primary health care 2.0
Primary health care (PHC) is not a new strategy for public health. However, over time the needs of communities have evolved. Once focused on maternal and child care, PHC can be a formidable vehicle to address the leading causes of death for all ages.
Currently, there are still limited types of services, insufficient outreach and inadequate referral systems to districts for higher-level care. These point to a need for more reform in PHC systems. Examples of good practices include longer clinic hours, mobile outreach and telemedicine. Changes in the delivery of services in primary health care catalyse change, hence the reference to “transformative primary health care” to address evolving health challenges.
WHO assisted Cambodia, Fiji and Papua New Guinea in establishing policy dialogues to improve primary health care. In Viet Nam, WHO worked with the Government to expand PHC services, train health workers, standardize protocols and integrate NCD management at commune health stations. A WHO-supported PHC pilot in Ho Chi Minh City (since 2022) has improved access to essential care in 10 district health centres and 43 commune health stations, increasing visits for hypertension and diabetes patients. The initiative aims to expand nationwide, integrating care for depression, HIV/AIDS and respiratory diseases. WHO emphasizes collaboration, aligning donor priorities and providing robust in-country support. -
WP-1_Reaching the unreached through primary health care
Integration of immunization in primary health care is a core strategy for achieving a high level of fully immunized children in all Member States. Approaches include the use of measurable country-level outcomes, strategy development, technical support and cross-country collaboration. The Region’s policy frameworks have strengthened Fiji’s National Immunization Programme, while measles–rubella campaigns in Cambodia and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic have vaccinated more than 2 million children, exceeding 95% coverage. In the Philippines, WHO training has equipped 771 health professionals with improved vaccine management skills for efficient immunization delivery.WHO provides strong support for communicable disease control efforts. WHO helped coordinate improved TB surveillance and monitoring in Brunei Darussalam and Vanuatu, while its cross-border collaboration framework helped achieve a 98.8% reduction in malaria cases across Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Viet Nam. WHO supported trachoma elimination in Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Viet Nam. In 2024, the Western Pacific Region advanced disease elimination efforts through the establishment of a Regional Validation Advisory Group, elimination of mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) training for 13 Pacific island countries and other efforts. Work on hepatitis, HIV and mpox integration had notable achievements in Cambodia, Papua New Guinea and Viet Nam. -
WP-2_Strengthening health security: WHO’s impact on emergency preparedness and response
With nearly 1700 potential health emergencies detected in 2024, the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific strengthened preparedness and response capacities through robust technical assistance, community engagement and strategic partnerships. More than US$ 1.2 million in supplies, including laboratory diagnostics, were dispatched, and surge networks – 16 WHO-classified emergency medical teams and 80 Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network partners – were trained, maintained or deployed.WHO Western Pacific Region’s resilience was highlighted during Typhoon Yagi in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the Philippines and Viet Nam, and the earthquake in Vanuatu. WHO collaborated with national authorities to restore essential health services, provide safe drinking water and deliver targeted public health messaging, reducing disease outbreak risks. More than 5000 practitioners engaged in WHO-convened communities of practice addressed regional emergency priorities, including stigma and case detection challenges for mpox.To strengthen health security, WHO facilitated Joint External Evaluations in Cambodia, the Philippines, Solomon Islands and Tonga, fostering multisectoral collaboration and commitment for better planning. WHO advocacy increased health security engagement, with 100% of International Health Regulations’ States Parties fulfilling reporting obligations in 2024, up from 63% in 2019. WHO continues to lead emergency preparedness and response, ensuring health systems are equipped to protect communities from emerging threats. -
WP-3_Shielding health facilities from disruptive climate events
More than a billion people (62%) in the Western Pacific Region live in coastal areas. Health facilities in islands and cities in the Region are vulnerable to climate disruptions that can cut off these populations from shelter, food and essential health services.With sea-level rises three to four times higher than the global average, the Western Pacific Region experiences a disproportionately large number of super typhoons and storms. WHO has undertaken an historic effort to lead public health action on climate resilient health facilities through the WHO Asia-Pacific Centre for Environment and Health in the Western Pacific Region (ACE). Established in 2019, the Centre has been strengthened to undertake technical work as well as resource mobilization to establish the climate resilient and environmentally sustainable health-care facilities initiative. ACE is focused on action for retrofitting facilities and reforming policy to withstand climate shocks and reduce emissions, while enhancing its capabilities as a data centre for climate and health facilities.In Fiji, Kiribati, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Solomon Islands and Viet Nam, the WHO Regional Office supported improvements to water supply, sanitation, waste management, energy efficiency and digital infrastructure in health facilities. These practical upgrades – especially in island nations most exposed to climate risks – are informing regional scale-up efforts.At the policy level, WHO assisted Fiji, Kiribati and Solomon Islands in developing health national adaptation plans and guided emissions profiling in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Viet Nam. WHO also supported Tonga’s engagement with the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health, fostering stronger national commitments. -
WP-3_Sustaining progress in tobacco control
Tobacco use remains the leading preventable risk factor for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Addressing tobacco control is a priority under the Western Pacific vision for the work of WHO with Member States and partners: Weaving Health for Families, Communities and Societies in the Western Pacific Region (2025−2029). In 2024, the Region advanced WHO NCD “best buys” through technical input, advocacy and legislative support.Taxation, advertising bans, smoke-free policies and emerging product regulation continue to be key focus areas.In Malaysia, WHO supported strengthening tobacco control legislation, including expanded regulations on e-cigarettes, bans on online and vending machine sales, and enhanced smoke-free policies. In Viet Nam, WHO assisted with legislation banning e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.Political leadership in Cook Islands resulted in significant tobacco control law reforms including a ban on e-cigarettes and an increase in the legal smoking age to 21. In China, WHO facilitated multisectoral efforts, including enhanced monitoring of tobacco consumption. WHO also worked with governments to integrate tobacco control within broader health strategies. In Kiribati, efforts focus on reducing high smoking prevalence through climate resilience and health reforms. In Fiji, WHO aligns tobacco control with broader risk factor interventions. WHO continues to counter industry interference, strengthening governments' understanding of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Article 5.3, and protecting health policy integrity. -
WP-3_Taking control of health in the places where people live, work, learn and play
Healthy settings are a powerful platform for people’s participation in health and community engagement in resolving local health issues. Schools and the education sector play a key role in the health of children and youth. In November, the Regional Meeting on Health Promoting Schools (HPS) hosted 23 countries fostering collaboration and resource sharing. Results include collaboration for updating of HPS plans, including monitoring and evaluation, in the Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands and Tonga. In September, the Alliance for Healthy Cities held a global meeting in Seoul, Republic of Korea that expanded regional networks, sharing tools such as healthy cities indicators and training materials to address alcohol use, physical inactivity and unhealthy diets. WHO led discussions on sea-level rise and cities. The initiative on age-friendly cities also grew, with 18 new members joining the Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities in 2024.Activities to build capacity for the control of alcohol and tobacco use as well as promote nutrition were implemented in Malaysia, Mongolia and the Philippines. Specific taxation policies for alcohol and sugar-sweetened beverages introduced in Cook Islands, Cambodia, Solomon Islands and Viet Nam are formulating taxation policies. Aside from fiscal policies, other demand side interventions such as drink-driving and regulation of marketing have also been advanced. WHO also assisted Brunei Darussalam, China, Fiji, Kiribati, Micronesia (Federated States of), the Philippines, Solomon Islands and Tonga in restricting unhealthy food marketing. WHO also supported Kiribati, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands to strengthen food safety legislation. Public health laws in Pacific island countries are also being updated. -
WP-4_Accelerating digital health transformation
Recognizing the impact of digitalization on health and health-care delivery, WHO works with Member States to harness this resource for better health outcomes.
The WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific in October 2024 endorsed Regional Action Framework on Digital Health in the Western Pacific, which was developed with extensive consultation of experts. This blueprint guides countries in implementing digital health strategies, through five pillars: governance, socio-technical infrastructure, financing, digital health solutions and data.
Member States have adapted the Framework to national contexts. WHO offices in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu supported health ministries in crafting national digital health strategies rooted in maturity assessments, stakeholder engagement and national health priorities.
WHO recognizes that digital technology is expanding at a rapid pace and that it is of critical importance that the health sector is able to catch up and keep pace with the rest of society to solve problems, innovate and develop strategies for better and more equitable health outcomes.
Lessons Learned
Reporting from the ground
How WHO is driving impact where it matters most
