Daily journal: 28 October 2021

Seventy-second session of the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific • 25–29 October 2021, Himeji, Japan Page 1 25–29 October 2021 Himeji, Japan WPR/RC72/DJ/4 28 October 2021 Contents I. II. III. Programme of work Report of meetings Other meetings …………………………………………………………………... 2 …………………………………………………………………... 3 …………………………………………………………………... 7 Other information Venue Arcrea Himeji, Japan Distribution of documents All documents are available at the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific website. In line with WHO “green meeting” practices, printed documents are available only upon request at the WHO Enquiry Desk, located at the foyer of Arcrea Himeji. Representatives are kindly requested to collect daily their documents, messages and invitations at their designated mailboxes. Hybrid meeting platform Following a hybrid format, sessions are in person and via the Zoom webinar platform. Instructions on how to access the Regional Committee SharePoint portal for the virtual meeting platform have been sent to all representatives. Simultaneous interpretation for English, Chinese and French will be available on the Zoom platform and for in-person attendance. Video streaming The plenary sessions will be broadcast on YouTube with the relevant links available at the WHO Regional Office website and on the Regional Committee SharePoint portal. They can be viewed on personal computers, smartphones and tablets with Android 5.0, iPad iOS 13 or later operating systems. Rapporteurs meeting The meetings are convened daily in person and virtually, following the afternoon session at 15:45. Today’s meeting for in-person participants is in Room 408, Arcrea Himeji. Conference papers are posted on the SharePoint portal and will be considered for adoption after today’s coffee break. WHO publications Selected WHO publications are available at the WHO Regional Office website. A digital board and display booth can be found at the foyer of the Exhibition Halls where representatives can view and browse WHO publications, including COVID-19 guidance documents and agenda-related materials. Copies are available for free for representatives on a first-come, first-served basis. Seventy-second session of the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific • 25–29 October 2021, Himeji, Japan Page 2 I. PROGRAMME OF WORK (THURSDAY, 28 OCTOBER 2021) Agenda items 07:45–08:45 (core hours to accommodate different time zones) 15 Agenda items 13 14 Agenda items 15 * Coordination of the work of the World Health Assembly, the Executive Board and the Regional Committee: 15.2 WHO reform (WHO’s work in countries)** 15.3 Items recommended by the World Health Assembly and the Executive Board (sustainable financing)** (continued) 09:30–13:30 Tuberculosis Progress reports on technical programmes 14:45–15:45 (core hours to accommodate different time zones) *Coordination of the work of the World Health Assembly, the Executive Board and the Regional Committee: 15.2 WHO reform (WHO’s work in countries)** 15.3 Items recommended by the World Health Assembly and the Executive Board (sustainable financing)** (continued) * For convenience, two sessions for the agenda item on Coordination of the work of the World Health Assembly, the Executive Board and the Regional Committee, are scheduled so Member States may attend in the morning or the afternoon (Japan standard time) depending on their time zone. ** agenda items taken together WPR/RC72/9 RC72/INF/4 WPR/RC72/7 WPR/RC72/8 WPR/RC72/9 RC72/INF/4 Consideration of draft resolutions School health WPR/RC72/Conference Paper No. 1 (draft resolution) Traditional and complementary medicine WPR/RC72/Conference Paper No. 2 (draft resolution) Please note: The draft resolutions are posted as conference papers on the Regional Committee SharePoint portal. Any amendments should be submitted in writing to wprorcm@who.int using specific language. These conference papers will be considered for adoption following the coffee break. Seventy-second session of the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific • 25–29 October 2021, Himeji, Japan Page 3 II. REPORT OF MEETINGS (WEDNESDAY, 27 OCTOBER 2021) Third meeting: Vice Chairperson: Honourable Isaia Vaipuna Taape, Minister of Health, Social Welfare and Gender Affairs, Tuvalu Item 9 Panel discussion on primary health care In continuation, interventions were made by the representatives of the following Member States during the morning session (in order): Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Mongolia, Japan, the United States of America, Samoa, Hong Kong SAR (China), New Caledonia, Australia, Tuvalu and Fiji. Interventions were made by the representatives of the following Member States during the afternoon session (in order): the Philippines, China, Malaysia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Korea. Member States recognized that strong primary health care is critical to achieve universal health coverage and strengthen health security. They affirmed the need to shift primary health care from a disease- and patient-centred model to a people- centred one, keeping populations healthy through prevention and health promotion, and making primary health care comprehensive through a whole-of-government approach. Member States shared many innovative strategies and actions being taken in their countries, including: expanding packages of primary care services; building greater integration along the continuum of care; encouraging lifestyle changes and addressing noncommunicable disease risk factors, including among young people; adopting greater digitization of health services and information; strengthening subnational health authorities for more localized delivery; building a competent health workforce; scaling up financing schemes for primary care services; and expanding community engagement and targeted approaches to reach vulnerable populations with health care. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for stronger primary care and public health systems, they said, both to support the response, drive community engagement and maintain routine health services. Member States said the pandemic also provided the opportunity to accelerate initiatives, such as the use of digital platforms for health and community-based care approaches, and emphasized the need for multisectoral efforts with ministries such as finance, education and youth affairs to address the wider determinants of health. Member States also highlighted some persistent challenges, including constraints in securing human resources for health, issues in assuring good quality of primary care services and gaps in referral systems to ensure continuity of care. Member States agreed to put in intensified efforts to transform primary health care from the current episodic care model towards a longitudinal, preventive, promotive, multidisciplinary and team-based model of care, expressing their commitment to work with WHO towards building a resilient primary health-care system for the future. Item 11 School health The acting Director, Healthy Environments and Populations, thanked all Member States, partners, WHO collaborating centres and experts for their comments, support and input on the draft Regional Framework on Nurturing Resilient and Healthy Future Generations in the Western Pacific. Seventy-second session of the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific • 25–29 October 2021, Himeji, Japan Page 4 She highlighted three themes in response to interventions: • The impact of COVID-19 school closures: The acting Director acknowledged the concerns of Member States about the repercussions of COVID-19 impact on children’s physical and mental well-being, which increase the need to implement the Regional Framework to nurture resilient children. She added that WHO is working with Member States to apply a risk-based approach to safely reopen schools. • A tailored approach on the implementation of the Framework: The acting Director recognized the importance of having a tailored approach on the implementation of this Framework, depending on country context and needs. She highlighted that this new Framework builds on existing healthy school initiatives in countries and is not prescriptive, but rather offers suggestions for actions to stimulate the transition towards a transformative model of health through schools. The importance of gender issues and mobilizing support from WHO collaborating centres, as mentioned by some Member States, will also be key in the implementation of the Framework, she added. • Linkages between the Framework and noncommunicable diseases: Escalating noncommunicable diseases and their risk factors among children and adolescents were highlighted by most Member State representatives, and the acting Director agreed with the need for a stronger political commitment to step up: tobacco, alcohol and drug control measures; promotion of physical activities; and healthy diet initiatives. The WHO Assistant Director-General, Universal Health Coverage/Healthier Populations, thanked Member State representatives and the Regional Committee Secretariat. She praised the powerful vision and innovative objectives of the Framework with its integrative approach as a decisive step to building healthier future generations and solidarity. In concluding the Secretariat response, the Regional Director thanked all the ministers and Member State representatives for their positive comments. He highlighted that this Framework is designed, not only for schools, but also for the community at large, as a nurturing environment for resilient and healthy children. Item 8 Traditional and complementary medicine The Director, Health Systems and Services, using a video presentation, introduced the agenda item on traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM), which is widely practised and part of the Western Pacific Region’s rich cultural diversity. He noted that the vision outlined in For the Future: Towards the Healthiest and Safest Region emphasizes improving health and well-being for all populations and that the draft Regional Framework for Harnessing Traditional and Complementary Medicine for Achieving Health and Well-being in the Western Pacific proposes strategies for a more comprehensive, forward-looking approach to health that maximizes the potential benefits of T&CM practices. Interventions were made by the representatives of the following Member States (in order): the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Kiribati, Japan, Viet Nam, China, Cambodia, the United States of America, New Zealand, Hong Kong SAR (China), Vanuatu, Mongolia, Samoa and the Federated States of Micronesia. Member States affirmed the importance of T&CM in the health and well-being of their populations and pledged to work with WHO and each other in implementing the Framework. They emphasized the significance of developing policies and strengthening systems to ensure access to T&CM services, while ensuring safety and quality through strengthening regulatory systems. A number of Member States affirmed the value of recognizing and promoting indigenous practices, not only as part of health services but also the culture and tradition within which they have evolved, as well as the need to respect and support the self-determination of indigenous and traditional healers. Seventy-second session of the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific • 25–29 October 2021, Himeji, Japan Page 5 Member State representatives said that the Framework would serve as a basis for continued collaboration with WHO and each other to harness the role of T&CM for health and well-being. They expressed support for the strategic actions indicated in the Framework while highlighting the importance of continued research and sharing of information across countries, especially lessons on the role of T&CM during the COVID-19 pandemic. In response to Member State interventions, the Director, Division of Health Systems and Services, thanked representatives for their valuable interventions and support of the T&CM Framework. He appreciated Member State observations on several aspects of T&CM in the Region: its long cultural tradition in many indigenous cultures; its potential to strengthen universal health coverage, especially with noncommunicable disease care and rehabilitation; the importance of research and development on T&CM products and services to maximize the benefits for health and well-being across the Region; and lessons on the role of T&CM in promoting health and wellness during COVID-19. He pledged that WHO would work closely with Member States to provide technical support for the implementation of the Framework and the sharing of experiences among Member States, which is critical to harnessing the potential of T&CM to improve health and well-being and contribute to the vision of making the Western Pacific the world’s healthiest and safest region. Item 15 Coordination of the work of the World Health Assembly, the Executive Board and the Regional Committee: 15.2 WHO reform (WHO’s work in countries) 15.3 Items recommended by the World Health Assembly and the Executive Board (sustainable financing) Introducing the agenda item, the Regional Director emphasized the close link between sustainable financing and WHO’s ability to deliver on the For the Future vision through its work in countries in the Western Pacific Region. He explained that the For the Future vision builds on the Region’s long-standing practice, established by the previous Regional Director Dr Shin Young-soo, of putting “countries at the centre”, as well as the regional and country offices working as one team. Sustainable financing is therefore critical for WHO to be effective at country level, he said. The Director, Programme Management, explained that the agenda item would be considered in three parts, starting today with presentations on sustainable financing, WHO’s work in countries and the stocktaking exercise of the For the Future vision. She noted that discussions would continue in two sessions on Thursday and Member State delegations could participate in either, depending on the time convenient for them, with discussion on the agenda item concluding on Friday. Mr Björn Kümmel, Chair of the Working Group on Sustainable Financing, gave a summary of the deliberations of the Working Group to date, stressing that the world now needs WHO more than ever, even though there is a mismatch between what the world expects of WHO and what the Organization is able to deliver with the resources and capacity at its disposal. He explained that there is no “low-hanging fruit” to effectively address the financing challenges of WHO and that an increase in assessed contributions is the only viable way forward. He said that the additional investments needed in WHO are small compared to the amount spent on the COVID-19 response to date and appealed to Member States to support WHO and truly enable the Organization to deliver on the tasks ahead. Mr José Acacio from Australia, Deputy Vice-Chair of the Working Group and the Region’s representative (on behalf of the Vice-Chair of the Working Group, Ms Bronwyn Field), gave an overview of the five questions put forward to all WHO regional committees for consideration. He explained how the feedback and recommendations from the session of the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific will be incorporated in the lead-up to and during the fifth meeting of the Seventy-second session of the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific • 25–29 October 2021, Himeji, Japan Page 6 Working Group on 13 to 15 December 2021. He highlighted additional opportunities for Member States in the Region to contribute to the development of the final report that the Working Group will submit for consideration by the Executive Board at its 150th session in January 2022, including by providing written input by 29 October 2021 towards the zero draft of the report. The Director, Programme Management, reiterated the importance of sustainable financing to be effective at country level and explained that WHO has been responding to COVID-19 while continuously working towards strengthening the Organization’s work in countries and driving forward the For the Future vision. Videos were shown highlighting WHO’s work in and with the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, French Polynesia, Tonga, Viet Nam and Mongolia. This was followed by a short panel discussion between the WHO representatives and senior Health Ministry officials in the respective featured country, who presented work done with WHO’s close support during the past year, emphasizing the importance of the collaboration. The Director, Programme Management, mentioned that the concrete country examples illustrated how the “one team” approach has facilitated greater efficiency in WHO’s work in and with countries and areas in the Region. It also showed the importance of carefully tailoring support to the unique contexts of the countries WHO serves, she said. She also explained how some of the country examples were linked closely with the importance of WHO’s sustainable financing. First, the Director referred to the video and the comment made by the Honourable Dr. Bounfeng Phoummalaysith, Minister of Health of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, on the importance of working together for the long term. After 16 years of implementation of the Asia Pacific Strategy for Emerging Diseases and Public Health Emergencies, the country response to COVID-19 is a living example of how a systems approach with a long-term view pays off, she said. However, the Director emphasized that this approach can be complicated by the short-term nature of WHO’s budget, combined with WHO’s reliance on heavily earmarked donor contributions, therefore making sustainable financing critical. Second, the Director explained that as countries in the Region continue to develop economically they will increasingly transition away from receiving traditional donor funds. Yet, many countries will still need support to sustain the gains made through decades of efforts in areas such as tuberculosis, malaria, and maternal and child health – and WHO will need sustainable financing to provide this support, she said. Third, she said that in endorsing the For the Future vision, Member States asked WHO to prioritize work on future challenges – that is, to work not just for today but for the future. The work on noncommunicable diseases in Viet Nam and the work on applying the Health Futures Strategic Dialogue approach in Mongolia provide good examples for this, she noted, since working effectively and efficiently for the future is heavily constrained by the current financing arrangements, which are characterized by a reliance on heavily earmarked, unpredictable and short-term funds. She also mentioned the previous day’s primary health-care panel discussion, deliberations on the school health item and the innovation side event as examples to illustrate how WHO is working for the future. The acting Director, Data, Strategy and Innovation, shared key findings from the stocktaking exercise to review progress on almost two years of implementing For the Future, given that COVID-19 has significantly impacted countries and WHO’s work over most of that period. He mentioned that the stocktaking exercise reconfirmed the relevance and urgency of the For the Future vision, especially in the context of COVID-19. Seventy-second session of the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific • 25–29 October 2021, Himeji, Japan Page 7 The Director, Programme Management, reiterated that the findings of the stocktaking exercise confirm that the For the Future vision remains valid and its implementation should be accelerated, including by strengthening collective efforts to address long-term challenges. She concluded by saying that sustainable financing is key to enable WHO in the Region to accelerate the implementation of For the Future, which further builds on the legacy of putting “countries at the centre” by tailoring support to country contexts. III. OTHER MEETINGS Thursday, 28 October 2021 13:50–14:45 Side event: Communication for Health (Exhibition Hall C)