@WHOWPRO Regional Director. Weaving a new vision for health for individuals, families and communities across the Western Pacific. Retweets are not endorsements.
Manila, Philippines
Joined May 2024
- Tweets1.8K
- Following377
- Followers1.1K
- Likes1.1K
It was a pleasure to reconnect with Dr Yasuhiro Suzuki and Dr Satoshi Ezoe of the Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and thank them for joining the Western Pacific WHO Regional Committee, #RC77.
Japan is a longstanding WHO partner, supporting priorities from UHC and health security to immunization, AMR, NCDs and healthy ageing.
The opening of the Tokyo UHC Knowledge Hub is an exciting milestone in sharing expertise to advance health for all.
Kokoro yori kansha mōshiagemasu — heartfelt thanks to @JapanGov for its enduring partnership!
It was a privilege to witness Mongolia’s rapid health reforms firsthand - from health security and digitalization to primary health care and tobacco control.
At the Western Pacific's 77th Regional Committee, #RC77, I thanked Health Minister @BatshugarE for this remarkable progress.
As Mongolia looks to 2027 as the “Year of Health Promotion”, WHO stands ready to deepen our partnership and advance resilient health systems and health for all.
Ngā mihi nui!
Sincere thanks to the Republic of Korea for its strong partnership in advancing health across the Western Pacific!
I was pleased to convey my gratitude to Kim Jae-woo, @mohwpr Director-General for International Cooperation, in Manila last week.
Together, we’re advancing digital health and responsible AI, NCDs, health security, healthy ageing and mental health.
We look forward to deepening collaboration and turning shared priorities into lasting impact for our communities.
Weaving health for all. Gamsahamnida, Daehanminguk!
Japan’s 41 WHO Collaborating Centres are a remarkable network of scientific and technical expertise.
It was a pleasure to meet 33 in Tokyo yesterday and recognize their contributions to health in Japan, across the Western Pacific and globally.
Our shared priority: turn excellence into greater collective impact through collaboration, knowledge exchange and innovation.
As the Japanese proverb says, Sannin Yoreba Monju no Chie — wisdom emerges when people come together.
Together, we can build healthier, more equitable and resilient societies. Thank you to our Japanese partners for your continued commitment!
It was a pleasure to visit the UHC Knowledge Hub in Tokyo yesterday.
A bit of history.
Japan achieved universal health coverage in 1961, showing how sustained policy commitment can make health care for all a reality.
Its experience offers valuable lessons on equitable coverage, sustainable financing and protecting households from high out-of-pocket costs.
The WHO Tokyo Office – UHC Knowledge Hub helps countries turn evidence into action.
A great example of health diplomacy and international cooperation at work!
@WHOWPRO has been instrumental in getting the WHO Tokyo Office – UHC Knowledge Hub up and running
I look forward to continued collaboration with our Japanese partners to build stronger, fairer and more resilient health systems across the Region and beyond.
Dr Saia Ma'u Piukala retweeted
🌏𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴
#APO Director Dr Nima Asgari (@N_Asgari) joined a panel on 𝙂𝙡𝙤𝙗𝙖𝙡 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝 𝘼𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙍𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙢 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙀𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙂𝙡𝙤𝙗𝙖𝙡 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝 𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 in Beijing at the Peking University (@PKU1898) 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘂𝗺 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲, alongside experts from academia, civil society and global health institutions.
💡Dr Asgari emphasized the importance of 𝘀𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 in making global health architecture (#GHA) reform work at country level. He also highlighted public financing reform as an important piece of the puzzle in strengthening domestic financing. In practice, he noted, sovereignty depends on countries having the fiscal space to fund their own priorities.
A key reflection from the session was captured through the 𝗕𝗨𝗜𝗟𝗗 framework:
🔹𝗕old reform
🔹𝗨nified efforts
🔹𝗜nnovation for access
🔹𝗟ocal leadership
🔹𝗗elivery
For APO, these discussions reinforce the importance of connecting global health architecture reform with the realities of national health systems, grounding reform in evidence, country priorities and implementation.
The session also builds on discussions around the 77th WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific (#RC77), where questions of country ownership, regional roles and the future of global health governance were also brought to the fore.
#GlobalHealthArchitecture #GlobalHealth #HealthFinancing #HealthSystems #HealthPolicy
On behalf of WHO, congratulations to the Parliament of #Tuvalu on passing the 2026 Public Health Act.
This is a landmark achievement 100 years after the previous law was enacted.
Three years in the making, this modern framework will strengthen public health, risk management and emergency preparedness.
Passing the law is just the beginning.
WHO stands ready to support its implementation and advance #HealthForAll for generations to come.
Fano ki mua, sa puli tou iloga. Move forward, but never forget your identity.
Dr Saia Ma'u Piukala retweeted
The 2026 WHO #HealthyCities Recognition Awards showcase inspiring examples from across the Western Pacific Region — from Baguio City’s use of data to advance health equity, to Phnom Penh’s safer school zones, Madiun’s climate resilience initiatives and Samarinda’s work to prevent violence.
These examples show what’s possible when cities take action across sectors and tailor solutions to local needs.
Now is the time for more cities to join the Healthy Cities movement, learn from one another and adapt what works to their own contexts. Together, we can build healthier, more inclusive and resilient communities across the Region: who.int/westernpacific/news/…
ALT A group of men and women in business formal standing on the stage, holding glass trophies and posing for the camera
I saw glimpses of the future of healthcare at Renji Smart Hospital in Shanghai.
The AI Command Room connects hospital dashboards and real-time data to support better decisions.
I was equally intrigued by the use of virtual reality for teaching and practice.
As a surgeon and hospital administrator, I’m excited by the potential.
But technology is a means, not an end.
As I said at the World Health Forum in Beijing this weekend, the human touch must remain central.
The goal? Technology that makes healthcare safer, smarter and more responsive to people’s needs.
That’s a future worth pursuing.
A dream shared in 2024 is now reality in 2026!
Honoured to celebrate the launch of the WHO Collaborating Centre for #OneHealth at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine.
This is just the world’s second #WHOCC dedicated to One Health. And it is focused on implementation.
Congratulations to Professor Xiao-Nong Zhou, Professor Xiao-xi Zhang and the entire team.
Your passion and persistence brought this dream to life.
Now comes the real challenge.
From China to the Pacific, let’s turn One Health from principle into practice.
Xièxie!
Traditional medicine has a growing role to play in the future of health care.
But safety and science must go hand in hand.
In an interview with @XHNews during the World Conference on Traditional Medicine 2026 in Beijing, I highlighted China’s important role in advancing traditional medicine globally.
How can AI help us care better for one another?
At a World Health Forum fireside chat in Beijing, I reflected on how AI can help identify when older people need support.
But it can never replace the human connection that makes care meaningful.
AI’s greatest potential is to give health workers more time to listen, understand and care.
Connecting the dots: at #RC77, regional experts shared lessons from nearly 30 years of healthy ageing work.
And WHO Member States adopted guidelines to support better implementation of AI for health.
The future we want isn’t just smarter technology.
It’s stronger human connections. And a world where everyone can age with health, dignity and purpose.
#HealthyAgeing #AIforHealth
We’ve strengthened the regional health partnership between WHO’s Western Pacific Region and @Tsinghua_Uni’s Vanke School of Public Health through a new MoU.
Our Region faces increasingly complex health challenges.
Rapid population ageing.
The climate crisis.
Emerging health.
And all during a time of mind-boggling technological change.
So this collaboration matters more than ever.
We’ll advance research, exchange knowledge and develop the next generation of public health leaders.
By connecting evidence with action, we can turn innovation into solutions that improve lives.
My thanks to Dean Margaret Chan and Tsinghua colleagues for their partnership.
I look forward to what we can achieve together.
What does it mean to live longer - and live well?
At the Sixth World Health Forum in Beijing, my message was simple: not just more years, but healthier years filled with dignity and purpose.
Across the Western Pacific, 245 million people are aged 65+. By 2050, that number will nearly double.
Healthy ageing starts long before 65. It takes prevention, people-centred care, age-friendly communities and innovation.
It's a whole-of-society effort.
As we enter the second half of the @UN Decade of Healthy Ageing, let’s turn commitments into action.
Longer lives. Healthier lives. Better years. For everyone.
Thank you to @Tsinghua_Uni, its Vanke School of Public Health and Dr Margaret Chan for convening this important conversation.
#HealthyAgeing #WorldHealthForum
The 77th session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific, #RC77, concluded this week with unanimous agreement on four priorities.
➡️Immunization
➡️Tobacco control
➡️Hypertension control
➡️Responsible AI in health
Our success will not be measured by what we endorse, but by what changes in people’s lives.
Especially the most vulnerable.
Let’s turn regional solidarity into meaningful action and better health for the 2.2 billion people we serve.
Check comments for overview of commitments.
The 77th WHO Western Pacific Regional Committee wrapped up yesterday.
I’m so grateful for the spirit of solidarity and consensus among our Member States.
Now, we must turn our commitments into concrete action to improve health and well-being for the 2.2 billion people of our Region.
Here's a summary of what happened this week and of the promises we must now keep. #RC77
The recent surge of international attention to Fiji’s HIV epidemic has carried uncomfortable echoes of an earlier era of AIDS.
But there is one fundamental difference. This is 2026.
Today, we have effective treatment, powerful new prevention tools and decades of experience that did not exist at the start of the AIDS epidemic.
The Pacific cannot afford to lose time or repeat past mistakes.
Read the joint op-ed by @EamonnMurphy63 of @UNAIDS_AP, @PioSmith_UN of @UNFPAAsiaPac, @DelphineSchantz of @UNODC and me in @ib_magazine_
Link in comments. First image from @MspFiji
