Dr Saia Ma'u Piukala

In a room full of governors and mayors, big decisions are coming!

This week at WHO’s Western Pacific campus in Manila, we brought national and local leaders together to advance Universal Health Coverage, #UHC.

Can a mother get care for her child?

Can an older person afford their medicines?

Can a family see a doctor without fearing the cost?

This is where local leadership matters.

Barangay health workers are the heartbeat of UHC. They know their communities, not as statistics, but by name.

National policy sets the direction. Local leadership makes it real.

And three Filipino values show us how:

Our challenge: move from policy to people, commitment to action, and action to results families can feel.

Together, let's make UHC a reality for every Filipino. No one forgotten.

A meeting of minds – and hearts – in Bali!

A pleasure to meet Tomas Zapata, new Director of the @WHO Academy.

Fitting that it happened at the 14th Asia-Pacific Action Alliance on Human Resources for Health Conference focused on building tomorrow’s health workforce.

We share a strong commitment: putting countries and their needs first.

WHO in the Western Pacific and the #WHOAcademy will deepen collaboration.

On Pacific Open Learning Health Net to build health workforce capacity across island nations and areas.

And also on AI to shape the health workforce of the future.

Together, let's build a workforce ready for every storm and able to deliver #HealthForAll

On the sidelines of the WHO Western Pacific Regional Committee session, #RC77, I thanked Audrey Sonerson, Director-General of @minhealthnz.

For New Zealand’s longstanding partnership with @WHO and @WHOWPRO.

And for its strong support for Pacific island countries.

I also congratulated the Ministry on its new Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

This can be an important contribution to community-based care, youth mental health and stronger crisis response across the Region.

Ngā mihi nui, Aotearoa New Zealand!

What a pleasure to meet Australia’s delegation during #RC77, the WHO Western Pacific Regional Committee.

Australia has led by example.

This past year it eliminated trachoma as a public health problem through sustained commitment and community engagement.

Despite global budget pressures, @WHOWPRO remains committed to protecting country-level delivery and directing resources where they matter most.

Thank you, Australia, for your steadfast partnership.

Together, we’re stronger. And together, we can make a real difference to health across the Western Pacific.

Poly-crisis.

Rising NCDs, climate change and outbreaks are putting health systems under pressure.

At the 14th Asia-Pacific Action Alliance on Human Resources for Health Conference, I shared how WHO is helping countries build a health workforce that can respond:

➡️ Listen
➡️ Bring evidence
➡️ Build capacity
➡️ Connect countries
➡️ Support implementation

Our success isn’t measured by countries needing WHO more, but by countries needing us differently.

Across the Western Pacific, we’re supporting countries to build the right workforce, with the right skills, in the right places – for strong primary health care, emergency response and ageing populations.

Member States must remain in the driver’s seat.

Each country must shape its workforce around its people’s needs.

That is how we tackle the poly-crisis together.