LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR RAY TENORIO (tbc)SENATOR JUDY WON PAT,SENATOR BEN PANGELINAN, SENATOR DENNIS RODRIGUEZ,
FORMER SENATOR LOU LEON GUERERODISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE GUAM ACADEMIC, DENTAL AND MEDICAL COMMUNITY.
It's a pleasure to be here on my first visit to Guam as WHO's Regional Director for the Western Pacific. In the short time since I arrived, I have been very impressed by the beauty of this island in the heart of Micronesia.
I also am grateful that so many of you have been willing to take time out on a Sunday to welcome me to Guam.
Tomorrow, I'll be on my way to Palau to join the 25th anniversary meeting of the Pacific Island Health Officers Association, an organization in which public health leaders from Guam have long played a crucial role.
As Regional Director, one of my priorities has been to strengthen the partnership between WHO's Regional Office in Manila and our Pacific countries and areas, in particular the United States-affiliated Pacific Islands.
As many of you know, WHO has had a strong presence in the Pacific for more than three decades, supporting governments and ministries of health in a variety of activities.
When I assumed office two years ago, I conducted a careful analysis of WHO's activities and the needs of Member States in the Pacific. It became clear that we needed a stronger presence in this part of the Pacific. So last August, I traveled to Pohnpei to open the WHO Country Liaison Office for Northern Micronesia to serve the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, Palau and other nearby areas.
That new office joined our four other WHO Country Liaison Offices situated in Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu, as well as larger WHO Representative Offices in Fiji and Samoa.
My analysis also convinced me that we could better serve this region by creating a specific division focused on the needs of the Pacific. The Pacific Technical Support Division based in Fiji was inaugurated last year and is now positioned to address the special health needs of our Pacific Member States.
As the leading technical agency in health, WHO's teamwork with local counterparts has ensured a timely and flexible response to urgent requests and health emergencies in the 22 Pacific island countries and areas. The WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific works closely with various partners, other United Nations agencies and Member States in planning and implementing health programmes and partnerships in the Pacific.
Over the past several decades, we've seen drastic changes in the types of diseases occurring in the Pacific. Noncommunicable diseases, such as cancer, heart disease and respiratory aliments, have now supplanted infectious diseases as the major causes of morbidity and mortality. Today, of course, these noncommunicable diseases have grown to epidemic proportions.
The U.S.-affiliated Pacific Islands have some of the highest rates of noncommunicable disease in the world. American Samoa has the highest rate of obesity in the world and ranks among the highest for adult diabetes. The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands also has one of the highest rates of type 2 diabetes in the world.
Here in Guam, there's a higher smoking prevalence rate than there is on the United States mainland.
In fact, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory aliments and diabetes are rising rapidly throughout the entire Western Pacific Region. Today, noncommunicable diseases are responsible for 80 percent of all deaths in the Region.
This rising tide of noncommunicable diseases is straining health systems in the Pacific. Unlike communicable diseases that tend to affect people quickly, noncommunicable diseases generally progress much more slowly, creating complex health needs that are expensive to treat and can overwhelm already stressed health systems. Unfortunately, this disease burden is beginning to be seen at increasingly younger ages, robbing many people of their most productive years.
I know that Guam has had great success in implementing evidence-based health policies.
These include enacting laws that have raised tobacco taxes and linked those revenues to cancer prevention and care, banned smoking in public places, renewed the focus on physical activity in schools, and raised the minimum legal drinking age from 18 to 21.
I also am excited about the many other positive steps Guam has taken to contribute to improving health in the Region.
As Guam serves as the health care "hub" for the Micronesian region, the re-establishment of full accreditation last year to the Guam Memorial Hospital by the Joint Commission was an important achievement.
Also, the efforts of both the University of Guam and Guam Community College to help build a larger and stronger health workforce will benefit the entire Region for years to come.
Guam's state of readiness for emergencies also must be commended. The efficiency with which the island responded to the tsunami warning in the wake of the earthquake in Japan on 11 March reflects the consistent effort and resources you've invested in emergency preparedness. Your efforts should serve as a model for other countries and areas throughout the Pacific.
Many of these initiatives undertaken by Guam will help inform the development this week of the Pacific Island Health Officers Association's strategic plan to combat noncommunicable diseases.
I commend you on the work you have done thus far to address the health challenges you face.
I am certain you will be able to meet the new challenges brought on by an increase in construction and population in the ongoing expansion of United States military facilities here.
I urge you to continue to look for new ways to improve the health of all people on Guam and in the Region.
Once again, thank you for taking time out on a Sunday to meet with me.