The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for the Western Pacific has signed a new agreement with The Borrow Foundation to strengthen oral health across the region. The partnership was formalized in Geneva during the World Health Assembly by WHO Regional Director Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala and Nigel Borrow, Trustee of The Borrow Foundation, a UK-based charitable organization with a long-standing focus on children’s oral health.
Oral diseases remain the most common noncommunicable diseases in the Western Pacific, affecting nearly 960 million people — about 42% of the population. Despite being largely preventable, access to essential oral health care is limited in many countries, underscoring the need for stronger policies, coordination, and implementation.
The agreement will support the rollout of the first-ever Western Pacific Regional Implementation Plan for the Global Strategy and Action Plan on Oral Health. The collaboration will prioritize prevention, integration of oral health into primary health care and universal health coverage, and improved coordination across the region.
Dr Piukala emphasized that oral health is foundational to overall well-being and must be urgently prioritized by health systems. Nigel Borrow noted that this is the first formal agreement between The Borrow Foundation and WHO’s Western Pacific office, highlighting growing momentum in the region through population-based oral health initiatives.
The partnership aims to advance country-led approaches to reduce the burden of oral diseases, embedding oral health within primary care and contributing to healthier communities and progress toward universal health coverage.
