Asia Pacific Observatory on Health Systems and Policies

01/10/2025

📣Echoing Dr Saia Ma'u Piukala, Regional Director of World Health Organization Western Pacific Region: "𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘺 𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦."

🤝At , we are working with partners to strengthen health systems and policies for population ageing through collaborative evidence-generation.

👉Our recent 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜 𝐈𝐬𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 ( ) presents policy recommendations for governments and partners in , the Federated States of Micronesia ( ), and .

⭐This Friday (3 October 2025, 11:00 AM Manila Time UTC+8), join leading researchers and experts at our #𝐀𝐏𝐎𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫 𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜.

At the APEC - Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation High-Level Meeting on Health and the Economy, leaders embraced ageing not as a challenge – but as an opportunity to redesign systems for lifelong well-being.

Tap the link below to learn how WHO is supporting Member States in the Western Pacific to build healthier societies for every generation.

29/09/2025

🌏 How can the health sector in the Pacific Island Countries prepare itself for the ageing population?

Join us at the upcoming on Ageing in the Pacific: Strengthening health systems for population ageing in the Pacific.

📅 3 October 2025 (Friday)
🕚 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM Manila Time (UTC+8)

The webinar will highlight practical lessons and health systems and policy recommendations that can support more equitable and responsive health systems for older populations.

23/09/2025

📢 | Ageing in the Pacific: Strengthening health systems and policies for population ageing

🌏 Pacific Island Countries ( ) are experiencing rapid demographic shifts, with ageing populations bringing new challenges and opportunities for health systems. Ensuring equitable, culturally grounded, and sustainable long-term care is more urgent than ever.

💡This webinar will spotlight key findings from APO’s policy brief on ageing and bring together experts to share perspectives on how policies can better support older persons in the Pacific.

🗓️ 3 October 2025 (Friday)
🕙 11:00 AM - 12:15 PM Manila Time (UTC+8)

Speaker:
🎙️ Dr Anna Palagyi, The George Institute for Global Health

Discussants:
🎙️ Dr Mai Ling Perman, Fiji National University
🎙️ Dr Ilisapeci Kubuabola, Pacific-Community-SPC
🎙️ Dr Mikiko Kanda, World Health Organization Western Pacific Region

Moderator:
🎙️Dr Nima Asgari, Asia Pacific Observatory on Health Systems and Policies

19/09/2025

🌏 is a global health issue.

📌In 2022 alone, climate hazards affected 64 million people in Asia Pacific and caused USD 57 billion in damages. Yet, despite growing donor interest, climate and health remain underrepresented in financing proposals due to insufficient evidence, limited capacity and lengthy approval processes.

📌At the Inaugural Western Pacific Action Forum on Climate-Resilient and Sustainable Health Systems, hosted by (Asia-Pacific Centre for Environment and Health in the Western Pacific Region) in , co-facilitated discussions to advance country-led evidence for action on climate-attributable health impacts in the region.

📌Our Director Dr Nima Asgari and Research Consultant Ma-Ann Zarsuelo presented insights on mapping climate projects and linking climate risks with burden of disease data across 17 countries.

📌Together with partners from the Trung tâm Nghiên cứu và Phát triển Môi trường sức khỏe-CHERAD (Viet Nam), Fiji National University (Fiji), IHPP Foundation - มูลนิธิเพื่อการพัฒนานโยบายสุขภาพระหว่างประเทศ (Thailand), Monash University Health and Climate Initiative (Australia), and World Health Organization Western Pacific Region, APO is co-developing methodologies tailored to climate-related risk profiles and burden of disease at country level.

📌Strengthening climate–health evidence is not only essential for unlocking financing, but also a priority for the upcoming World Health Organization Western Pacific Region Regional Committee Meeting ( ) this October.

17/09/2025

📢 NEW POLICY BRIEF: 's latest maps the landscape of primary health care ( ) research across 34 countries in South, East Asia and the Pacific, analyzing 4,810 journal publications from 2013 to 2024.

💡The brief highlights where evidence is strong, where gaps remain, and how research can better inform policy.

💡Nearly half of the PHC research zeroes in on service delivery while over a third focused on noncommunicable diseases and injuries.

💡While PHC research outputs in Asia Pacific have doubled in the past decade, gaps remain, with only a few countries making it a priority.

25/08/2025

💡Pacific Island Countries ( ) are facing rapid demographic change, with longer life expectancy and a growing older population.

💡This shift brings both opportunities and significant challenges for health systems already burdened by noncommunicable diseases ( ), multimorbidity and disability.

💡 's Policy Brief on Ageing in the Pacific highlights demographic trends and health system challenges in , the Federated States of Micronesia ( ), and .

💡The policy brief also presents policy recommendations for governments and partners, emphasizing multisectoral approaches to support resilient and equitable health systems.

14/08/2025

📘 Policy Brief: Ageing in Pacific Island Countries

Pacific Island Countries ( ) are facing a fast-growing challenge — ageing populations with rising rates of multimorbidity and disability, particularly from noncommunicable diseases ( ).

This new brief highlights demographic trends, service gaps and health system capacity in four PICs, and offers actionable recommendations to:

✔ Strengthen health workforce planning
✔ Improve long-term care
✔ Embed healthy ageing in national strategies

It also underscores the importance of culturally grounded, community-based and multisectoral approaches to ensure equitable, person-centered health systems that are resilient and responsive to ageing populations.

📩 Download the policy brief: https://bit.ly/policybrief-ageing-pic

13/08/2025

🌏Brokering knowledge at the 2025 Global Health Learning Centre hosted by the World Health Organization Western Pacific Region!

💡 ’s Technical Officer Heather Jue-Wong and Research Consultant Ma-Ann Zarsuelo co-led an interactive session on Primary Health Care research landscape with 21 mid-level government health officials from 19 countries.

Participants discussed country-led research mechanisms in identifying potential PHC research areas which include telemedicine, quality of services, traditional and complementary medicine and integrated care delivery.

The equips participants with the knowledge, skills and perspectives to lead health systems improvement, policy planning and implementation at the country level.

Thanks to CAL team for leading Boyang Li, Yeunji Ma, Sunju Lee, Kidong Park!

21/07/2025

📍 in Yogyakarta!

We’ve wrapped up a Health Systems in Transition ( ) Review training in collaboration with our national and academic partners for the upcoming Indonesia HiT.

This marks an important step toward strengthening knowledge of Indonesia’s health system and supporting evidence-informed policymaking across the region.

Grateful for the warm hospitality and insightful discussions. Thank you Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia (Kementerian Kesehatan RI), Universitas Gadjah Mada, Universitas Syiah Kuala and World Health Organization Indonesia.

Onward to the next phase!

17/07/2025

💬 Building future-ready health systems starts with learning from each other.

At the 1st Health Forum, alongside Asian Development Bank and World Health Organization Western Pacific Region, moderated a powerful discussion with leaders and experts from across the Asia Pacific—exploring how countries can design health systems that are resilient to both pandemics and climate change.

💡Thank you to all who shared insights and real-world lessons. 🌏

10/07/2025

🌏What does it take to build future-ready health systems in the Asia Pacific?

At the 1st , we're proud to have moderated the forum's last plenary session “How Can Pandemic Preparedness and Response Make Health Systems More Resilient?” alongside the Asian Development Bank and the World Health Organization Western Pacific Region.

From Mongolia’s effort to establish a national CDC, to Papua New Guinea’s One Health workforce strategies, to Korea’s real-time digital emergency response tools, and China’s integration of Primary Healthcare ( ) into preparedness systems—the session spotlighted country experiences, innovations, and just how health systems can be designed to respond to threats.

Our Keynote Speaker, honorable State Minister of Bangladesh, Prof Dr Md Sayedur Rahman reminded us that "healthcare is not a commodity, it is a right" and that resilient health systems are built at the community level, not in emergency rooms or conference halls.

🙏Thank you to our session leaders and speakers for the rich insights and to the for hosting this milestone gathering of health and finance leaders across the Asia Pacific.

🤝Let’s continue working together to build more inclusive, resilient, and responsive health systems.

09/07/2025

📢Join our Plenary Session on Thursday, July 10 at ADB HQ, Manila as we explore what it takes to build health systems ready for both fast and slow-moving threats.

🌏 How can countries prepare for future pandemics while also building climate-resilient health systems?

🗓️ 10 July 2025 (Thursday)
⏰ 10:45 AM - 12:00 PM (UTC+8)

Keynote Speaker:
🎙️ Prof Dr Md Sayedur Rahman, Honorable Special Assistant (State Minister) to Chief Advisor, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Bangladesh

Speakers:
🎙️ Dr Battur Lkhagvaa, Director, National Center for Public Health, Mongolia
🎙️ Chief Berry Ropa, Health Security Programme Manager, Ministry of Health, Papua New Guinea
🎙️ Prof Ren Minghui, Director, School of Public Health & Institute for Global Health, Peking University
🎙️ Dr Seong Sun Kim, Director, Division of Epidemiological Data Analysis, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency

Session leaders:
🎙️ Dr Najibullah Habib, Asian Development Bank (ADB)
🎙️ Dr Nima Asgari, Asia Pacific Observatory on Health Systems and Policies
🎙️ Dr Gina Samaan, World Health Organization Western Pacific Region