World Health Organization Western Pacific Region

11/05/2026

11/05/2026

Access to mental health care in Cambodia remains limited – but a transformation is underway.

Through workforce capacity-building under the WHO Special Initiative for Mental Health, the country is expanding access and strengthening systems.

This photo story highlights five professionals at the heart of this change – and their vision for the future. Read the story via the link below. 🔗

ក្រសួងសុខាភិបាលនៃព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា
WHO Foundation

📷WHO / Enric Catala Contreras

11/05/2026

From outbreaks of leptospirosis to climate-sensitive threats like , Palau is grappling with how environmental change and global mobility are reshaping the landscape of disease.

For this small island archipelago, interconnectedness across the human-animal-environment interface is increasingly becoming a frontline for new and evolving health threats.

To meet these challenges, Palau is embracing a transformative approach: – in close partnership with WHO. Click the link below to learn how. 🔗

Ministry of Health & Human Services - Republic of Palau

11/05/2026

Papua New Guinea faces many challenges in the fight against polio – including reaching the most remotely-located communities with an increasingly ageing health workforce. 💭What will it take to close the gap?

Let’s take a look back at our interview with Dr Fiona Kupe, Chair of the National Certification Committee for Poliomyelitis Eradication in Papua New Guinea, where she highlights the importance of expanded outreach services, stronger planning and deeper community engagement to boost immunization coverage across the country. ‼️This urgency has underpinned the country’s ambitious polio immunization drive over the past year, with support from WHO and other partners under the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

This interview was recorded in November 2025 during the 31st meeting of the Regional Commission for the Certification of Poliomyelitis Eradication, an event that also marked the 25-year polio-free anniversary for the WHO Western Pacific Region.

10/05/2026

The science is clear: a mother's happiness leads to:

✅ Smoother pregnancies and safer births
✅ Stronger mother-baby bond
✅ Healthy baby development

Support the expecting mothers in your life. Their happiness creates a healthier start for the next generation. 💖 🤰🏽

09/05/2026

Did you know?

are a group of zoonotic viruses carried by rodents that can cause severe disease in humans.

Learn how to prevent it and what to do during an outbreak. Watch this explainer.

09/05/2026

How can we strengthen the next generation of public health leaders in the Western Pacific?

The Global Health Learning Centre (GHLC), a flagship capacity-building programme of WHO in the Western Pacific, brings together mid-level government officials and emerging health leaders from across the Region to learn, exchange and apply practical solutions to health system challenges.

Through interactive learning, country dialogue, site visits and group projects, GHLC supports fellows to strengthen leadership, policy and technical skills for healthier communities across the Western Pacific.

Learn more via the link below.

08/05/2026

Mongolia is stepping up its response to bacterial meningitis and meningococcal disease. With recent cases reported, frontline health workers across the country are strengthening their skills to detect, diagnose, and respond rapidly to this life-threatening infection.

Through strong collaboration between the Ministry of Health, the National Center for Communicable Diseases, and WHO, new guidelines and practical training are strengthening frontline response to better protect communities.

👉 Read the full story: https://bit.ly/4cZJlsk

08/05/2026

Dr Joseph Takai – who leads health emergency response actions in Tonga with the Ministry of Health Tonga – shares his experience as WHO’s first “leader” in the Health Emergency Corps (HEC) Fellowship Programme.

“The WHO Fellowship offers health leaders across the Western Pacific an opportunity to lash our canoes together, to learn from and lean on each other...

I’m reminded of the Tongan proverb ‘Pikipiki hama ka tau vaevae manava’, which is rooted in voyaging traditions, and signifies unity and mutual support during challenging times. It refers to the practice of navigators on rough seas who would lash together their canoes, allowing each other to ‘vaevae manava’ – or catch their breath – before continuing on.”

🔗 Read Dr Joseph Takai’s testimonial story via the link below.

📷 Ministry of Health, Tonga

08/05/2026

07/05/2026