The Fifth Regional Forum of WHO Collaborating Centres in the Western Pacific reaffirmed the importance of regional partnerships for advancing health and well-being amid challenges to multilateralism globally. Collaboration across hospitals, universities, laboratories, and research centres under the WHO network continues to drive innovation and strengthen health systems, demonstrating how scientific cooperation and solidarity can produce meaningful change in the region.
From November 4–5, over 200 experts from 122 collaborating centres across 38 countries and areas convened in Manila to discuss strategies for supporting Member States. These specialized institutions act as extensions of WHO’s technical capacity, assisting countries in building resilient and equitable health systems and responding to challenges such as noncommunicable diseases, climate-related health risks, and emerging health threats.
The forum, themed Interweaving Innovation and Unity: Elevating Partnerships for Health and Well-being in the Western Pacific, highlighted how collaboration contributes to tackling antimicrobial resistance, advancing digital health, addressing noncommunicable diseases, and preparing for future pandemics. Participants identified concrete opportunities to enhance regional priorities, including digital health, communicable and noncommunicable diseases, universal health coverage, immunization, and health systems strengthening. These priorities support the broader regional vision for 2025–2029: weaving health for families, communities, and societies across the Western Pacific.
Agreements emerging from the forum focused on enhancing coordination and synergy between WHO and collaborating centres, linking research to policy and practice, and supporting Member States in building resilient, people-centred, and equitable health systems. Emphasis was placed on reaching underserved populations, addressing health inequities, and adapting to demographic and environmental changes. The forum also established mechanisms for knowledge exchange, continuous engagement, implementation monitoring, and regional peer learning to ensure commitments translate into tangible country-level impact.
Dr. Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, emphasized that innovation and unity interwoven create powerful pathways for partnerships, reaffirming that the region’s strength lies in collective expertise and solidarity. Dr. Nino Dal Dayanghirang, Coordinator of the Country Support Unit, highlighted that collaborating centres are invaluable assets, helping countries and WHO achieve key health indicators through practical programs and advancing the vision of Health for All.
