WHO Western Pacific Regional Committee in Nadi, Fiji

Group photo of delegates at the 76th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific

WONCA actively participated in the 76th World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Regional Committee Meeting held in Nadi, Fiji, from 20-24 October, joining ministers of health, sector leaders, development partners, and other non-state actors in policy dialogue to shape the regional agenda for stronger, people-centered health care.

Ably representing WONCA in the meeting were Dr Aileen Espina, Honorary Secretary, and Dr. Leilani Nicodemus, Member at Large of the Asia Pacific Regional Council. They underscored the crucial role of family doctors in advancing equitable, community-grounded health systems across the WHO Western Pacific member countries from policy to practice. Dr. Espina delivered an interpellation on Agenda Item 10: Climate Change and Health System Safety and Resilience, emphasizing that frontline primary care providers are pivotal in ensuring continuity of care during climate-related emergencies and in strengthening the everyday resilience of the health system.

Dr Aileen Espina and Dr. Leilani Nicodemus with Dr. Huong Thi Giang Tran, Director, Division of Programmes for Disease Control (WHO/WPRO)

WONCA – APR also submitted a position paper on Agenda Item 9: Shifting Mental Health Care to Address Global Challenges, reinforcing that mental wellness must be recognized as an integral part of primary care. The document called for greater investment in mental health service delivery for carers, capacity building for family physicians, and community-based interventions that reduce stigma and promote access.

Through its interventions and networking activities during the meeting, WONCA reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the WHO and Member States in accelerating Universal Health Care by enabling empowered, integrated primary care teams to drive transformation at the frontline.

WONCA will continue collaborating closely with regional partners and championing the voice of family doctors in policy spaces to ensure that no community is left behind.

Dr Aileen Espina delivering the WONCA APR statement on behalf of family doctors in the Asia Pacific