WHO / Yoshi Shimizu
A WHO field staff talks to a woman fetching water from a water catchment tank in Kiribati.
A WHO field staff talks to a woman fetching water from a water catchment tank in Kiribati.
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Credits
Asia Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health
WHO
Parliamentarians from 14 Asian and Pacific nations at the Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health (APPFGH) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Parliamentarians from 14 Asian and Pacific nations at the Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health (APPFGH) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
©
Credits
Established in 2015 with support from WHO, the Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health is a platform for parliamentarians to exchange ideas, build political will, strengthen capacity, and foster collaboration towards sustainable action for health. It is open to the 30 countries comprising the Member States of the WHO Western Pacific Region and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The WHO Western Pacific Region Office serves as the secretariat.
Parliamentarians play an essential role in health. They enact legislation, approve budgets and mobilize resources, provide oversight to ensure government accountability and transparency, ensure national implementation of global commitments, and foster the participation of constituencies. The Forum embodies WHO’s support to Member States in achieving health under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through a whole-of-government approach.
2024
The Eighth Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health will be held from 4 to 6 September 2024 in Port Vila, Vanuatu with the theme focusing on health workforce. A well-performing health workforce is vital to a strong health system and for the provision of continuous, coordinated, and people-centred care that can address the challenges facing the Asia-Pacific region, such as noncommunicable diseases, an ageing population, and unreached communities.
The objectives of the Eighth Meeting will be to:
- present and receive up-to-date evidence on entry points and pathways to strengthen health workforce policy for the future in line with the Regional framework to shape a health workforce for the future of the Western Pacific;
- exchange country experiences to champion and support health workforce policy through multiple system entry points, such as budget approval, formal and informal leadership and legislative reform;
- present and share innovations in promotion of a well-performing health workforce, whether traditional or non-traditional, including technology, financing models and partnerships; and
- build connections between regional parliamentarians and enable partnerships at the global, regional, national and local levels to promote the strength of the Forum in general and its capacity to engage and influence parliamentarians in health system priorities in and beyond the health sector.
2023
Theme: Building Primary Health Care for the Future
The Seventh Meeting of the Asia Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health was held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, from 21 to 23 August 2023. The meeting was chaired by Honourable Zandanshatar Gombojav, Chairman of the State Great Hural (Parliament) of Mongolia, with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Western Pacific. The meeting aimed to enhance the role of parliamentarians in building primary health care (PHC) for the future and was attended by 37 parliamentarians representing 14 countries.
Participating countries: Cambodia, Fiji, Kiribati, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia, Palau, the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Viet Nam.
Building primary health care for the future
2022
Theme: Strengthening Health Security and Building Resilience: Learning and Improving from the COVID-19 Pandemic
The Sixth Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health was convened in Seoul, Republic of Korea from 24 to 25 August 2022. The meeting aimed to enhance the role of parliamentarians in strengthening health security and building resilient health systems, and was attended by 30 parliamentarians from 15 countries.
Parliamentarians received an update on the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) situation globally and in the Region, and how the Region has benefited from over 16 years of investment in health security systems through the Asia Pacific Strategy for Emerging Diseases and Public Health Emergencies (APSED). Parliamentarians shared their country’s experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, lessons that could be drawn, and parliamentary actions taken to strengthen health security systems. Several parliaments supported actions to increase investment in health to advance health priorities and aid social and economic recovery, reflecting the interdependency between health and the economy.
Participating countries: Cambodia, Fiji, Japan, Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia, Palau, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Viet Nam.
2 November 2020
Strengthening Health Security and Building Resilience: Learning and Improving from...
Sixth Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health
2021
Theme: Managing the Evolving COVID-19 Pandemic and Preparing Primary Health Care to Meet Future Health Needs
On 2 December 2021, the Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health (Forum) convened an ad hoc virtual meeting to enhance the role of parliamentarians in preparing for the next phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and investing in primary health care for the future. In all, 27 parliamentarians participated from 13 countries, with a further country sending an observer. The meeting was chaired by the Honourable Mr Kim Minseok, President of the Forum, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO).
WHO provided technical presentations, including updates on the COVID-19 situation in the Asia-Pacific region and the Omicron variant. Participants agreed that primary health care has been of fundamental importance to the COVID-19 response and is essential for achieving the health-related Sustainable Development Goals and meeting the region's future health needs. Parliamentarians encouraged one another to use exert their leadership to place primary health care at the of plans to manage future COVID-19 scenarios and increase investment in primary health care to build health system resilience and aid the social and economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Participating countries: Cambodia, Japan, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Niue, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, Tonga, Vanuatu and Viet Nam.
19 January 2022
Managing the Evolving COVID-19 Pandemic and Preparing Primary Health Care to Meet...
Ad Hoc Virtual Meeting on COVID-19
2020
Theme: Calling for Solidarity to Enhance the Role of Parliamentarians in the COVID-19 Response
On 28 September 2020, the Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health (Forum) convened an ad hoc virtual meeting on Investing in Universal Health Coverage (UHC) for the Future, with 29 parliamentarians participating from 15 countries. The meeting was chaired by the Honourable Professor Keizo Takemi, President of Forum, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO).
WHO provided updates on technical issues, the regional responses to COVID-19 and support for Member States in their response to COVID-19. Participants noted the importance of strong health systems as part of the essential response required to defeat the pandemic and called for solidarity among parliamentarians and countries in responding to COVID-19. Participants emphasized the importance of countries collaborating with one another and with WHO to facilitate an effective, equitable, coordinated and sustainable response through investments in UHC and health system capacity building. WHO welcomed engagement and input from parliamentarians on country actions to combat COVID-19 and committed to continue supporting the Forum by sharing technical information, providing technical guidance and facilitating communication between Forum members, particularly on legislative changes related to the COVID-19 response.
16 June 2020
Calling for Solidarity to Enhance the Role of Parliamentarians in the COVID-19 Response,...
Ad Hoc Virtual Meeting on COVID-19
2019
Theme: Climate Change and Health
The Fifth Meeting of the Forum was hosted by the Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Fiji, in Nadi on 20 to 22 August. Attended by 48 parliamentarians from 20 countries, the meeting highlighted the role of parliamentarians in addressing the health impacts of climate change, including through the strengthening of climate-resilient health systems.
Participating countries: Cambodia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Japan, Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Federated States of Micronesia, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Vietnam.
10 February 2020
Climate Change and Health, Nadi, Fiji, 20-22 August 2019
Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health : Fifth Meeting
2018
Theme: Strengthening Financing and Regulation for Universal Health Coverage
The Fourth Meeting of the Forum was hosted by Chairpersons of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography and the House Committee on Health, Republic of the Philippines, in Manila on 23 to 24 August. Attended by 54 parliamentarians from 21 countries, the meeting aimed to enhance the role of parliamentarians in advancing Universal Health Care.
Participating countries: Cambodia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Japan, Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Palau, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Vietnam.
6 April 2019
Enhancing the Role of Parliamentarians in Advancing Universal Health Coverage, Manila...
Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health : Fourth Meeting
2017
Theme: Noncommunicable Diseases and Healthy Ageing
The Third Meeting of the Forum was hosted by the Japan Parliamentarian League for the World Health Organization at the National Diet in Tokyo on 24 to 25 August. The meeting built on the progress of participating countries towards achieving the health targets of the Sustainable Development Goals and focused on accelerating action for priority issues, including noncommunicable diseases and healthy ageing.
Participating countries: Australia, Cambodia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Japan, Republic of Korea, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Palau, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Viet Nam.
10 August 2018
The Role of Parliamentarians in Addressing Noncommunicable Diseases and Healthy Ageing,...
Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health : Third Meeting
2016
Theme: Health in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
The Second Meeting of the Forum was chaired by the Korean Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, in Seoul, on 24 to 25 November. Attended by 45 parliamentarians representing 17 countries, the meeting highlighted the role of parliamentarians in mainstreaming the Sustainable Development Goals into national health development plans, achieving Universal Health Coverage, and promoting multisectoral action and international cooperation for the SDGs.
Participating countries: Cambodia, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Tonga, Vanuatu and Viet Nam.
10 August 2018
The Role of Parliamentarians in the Sustainable Development Goals, Seoul, Republic...
Asia-Pacific Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health : Second Meeting
2015
Theme: Global Health Security
The First Meeting of the Forum was chaired by the Korean Parliamentarian Forum on Global Health of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, in Seoul on 02 to 03 July. Attended by 22 parliamentarians representing 6 countries, the meeting highlighted the role of parliamentarians in improving preparedness and response to recent emerging infectious diseases.
Participating countries: Australia, Cambodia, Japan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Republic of Korea.
