Churches champion health in Vanuatu
VANUATU, 3 December 2014 – Hundreds of families in Vanuatu accessed free health services such as eye screening and child immunization, thanks to the leadership of the Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu, with support from the Vanuatu Ministry of Health and WHO. This event is part of growing Pacific-wide movement where communities and local organizations are reaching beyond their normal activities to promote health.
World AIDS Day 2014: Closing the gap by putting key populations at the heart of the Asia-Pacific response
MANILA / NEW DELHI, 1 December 2014 – On World AIDS Day, the World Health Organization regional offices for South-East Asia and the Western Pacific are calling on Member States to recognize that in order to achieve the UNAIDS fast-track targets by 2020 with the aim of ending AIDS by 2030, key populations most vulnerable to HIV must be reached urgently.
Asia-Pacific countries need to improve affordable access to healthcare
27 November 2014 – Most countries in the Asia-Pacific region need to step up their efforts to give more people access to affordable, quality health care. Too many people, especially women, cannot get the medical treatment they need due to high costs, difficulties in getting permission to see a doctor or a lack of health care providers in rural areas, according to Health at a Glance: Asia/Pacific 2014, a joint publication by the World Health Organization and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Preparedness is key in the fight against Ebola virus disease
MANILA, 24 November 2014 — While the risk of a travel-related case of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in the Western Pacific Region is not high, the consequences could be significant. To assess Member State preparedness for a potential EVD outbreak, the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific conducted a country preparedness survey and facilitated a simulation exercise in October 2014.
Health issues affecting the Region
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Air pollution
Reduce air pollution to ease stroke, heart disease, lung cancer and other respiratory disease
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Nutrition through the life-course
Taking a life-course perspective to nutrition has great potential for improving one's health.
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Diabetes
When uncontrolled, diabetes leads to serious damage to the body's nerves and blood vessels.
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Violence and injury prevention
Injuries and violence kill more than 5 million people worldwide annually.
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Universal health coverage
All people receive the health services they need without suffering financial hardship when paying for them.
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Millennium Development Goals
The United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are designed to address extreme poverty.
WHO Highlights
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20 November 2014
WHO leads meeting to strengthen health security in the Pacific
SUVA, Fiji – Health leaders from 21 Pacific island countries and areas will meet in Nadi, Fiji to discuss progress in the implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR) in the Pacific. Preparedness to respond to the deadly Ebola virus, should the virus be imported into the Pacific region by a traveller returning from West Africa, will be a key item for discussion.
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October 2014
WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific releases latest ageing and health fact sheet
In almost every country, the proportion of people aged over 60 years is growing faster than any other age group as a result of both longer life expectancy and declining fertility rates. This population ageing can be seen as a success story for public health policies and for socioeconomic development, but it also challenges society to adapt, in order to maximize the health and functional capacity of older people and their participation and security.
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August 2014
Report on regulation of e-cigarettes
The report recommends that appropriate government bodies restrict e-cigarette advertising and that steps be taken to end use of e-cigarettes indoors in public and work places.
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