World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific

ABSTRACT Emergency risk communication is an integral component of an emergency response, including to the coronavirus disease pandemic. Designing and implementing effective communication, particularly in the context of new, evolving public health crises, requires systematic measurement, evaluation, and learning (MEL). In the Western Pacific Region, the World Health Organization (WHO) response to COVID-19 was guided by the Communication for Health (C4H) approach, which included developing and applying a robust MEL framework. This article describes how the WHO in the Western Pacific developed and applied a MEL framework to enhance and assess the effectiveness of COVID-19 communication throughout the pandemic lifecycle, from preparedness to response and recovery. It summarizes lessons and provides recommendations for MEL application in future public health emergencies. Key lessons include the importance of incorporating MEL in the emergency preparedness phase, maintaining flexibility in MEL plan development and implementation, using agile methodologies, conducting phased data collection, and leveraging all available data sources. Ensuring MEL results are disseminated and their application tracked for further improvement is essential. Additionally, building MEL capacity not only facilitates the design of stronger MEL and smoother implementation but also enhances the likelihood that evaluation results are effectively understood and applied.

This study investigates how national policies in nine Western Pacific countries-China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Cambodia-promote healthy ageing through multi-sector collaboration. The objective is to identify common patterns and country-specific features in the governance and organization of collaborative efforts. Using comparative case study analysis based on government documents, official reports, academic literature, and authoritative websites, the analysis reveals a growing policy emphasis on cross-sector collaboration in healthy ageing. Three distinct models of collaborative governance were identified, each characterized by different sectoral roles and coordination mechanisms. These findings contribute to a better understanding of how multi-sector approaches are structured and implemented in diverse policy contexts to support healthy ageing. The study offers practical insights for policymakers aiming to strengthen intersectoral collaboration and align national strategies with international frameworks such as the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030) and the WHO Regional Action Plan for Healthy Ageing in the Western Pacific Region.

Social prescribing has been mainly developed in high-income countries with strong health systems, while its application in low- and middle-income countries is less explored. In Lao PDR, the CONNECT Initiative offers context-specific support to improve community health and wellbeing through a bottom-up, participatory approach. Community members identify vulnerable groups and needs, then work together with local authorities and health staff to find solutions like improved water access, transport to health facilities, and support for the elderly. An evaluation indicates increased trust in the health system and uptake of essential services. This demonstrates how communities in low-resource settings can collectively develop solutions to address local social determinants of health, and the importance of building trust and addressing power imbalances. This community-led process in which health systems play a supporting role can be reframed as co-production rather than prescribing and may also provide insights for high-income countries in strengthening social cohesion.

ObjectiveTo explore the global research funding landscape for traditional, complementary and integrative medicine.MethodsWe conducted a three-part study to assess the global research funding landscape. First, we searched the Dimensions database and online sources using Microsoft Copilot and Google between 12 November 2024 and 22 January 2025 for relevant grants. Second, we analysed national research infrastructure using World Health Organization (WHO) data, verified by regional contacts (14 January–28 February 2025). Third, we appraised selected funders across WHO regions, evaluating funding schemes for innovation, capacity-building and alignment with traditional medicine paradigms.FindingsWe identified 39 927 grants in the Dimensions database, with funding data available for 27 019 grants totalling 24.5 billion United States dollars (US$) for the years 1960 to 2024. Most grants (42.6%; 11 548) were valued under US$ 100 000, and half had a duration of 2–4 years. Cancer and cardiovascular diseases accounted for over half (8385/15 273) of topic-categorized grants, receiving US$ 5.8 billion and US$ 2.2 billion, respectively. Funders were concentrated in the Region of the Americas, and European and Western Pacific Regions. Only seven countries had schemes explicitly funding research for traditional, complementary and integrative medicine. Case study analysis of 40 schemes across 12 countries revealed limited support for traditional medicine paradigms, with few schemes meeting criteria for innovation, capacity-building or sensitivity to traditional knowledge systems.ConclusionFunding for traditional medicine research remains disproportionately low relative to its global use. Strengthening support from research funding agencies is essential to achieving the goals of the WHO Global traditional medicine strategy 2025–2034.

The International Health Regulations (2005; IHR) are a legally binding instrument for the 196 States Parties, including the 194 Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO), requiring them to build and maintain capacities across critical domains to prevent, detect and respond to public health threats. In an analysis of 15 IHR (2005) core capacity scores reported by States Parties in WHO’s Western Pacific Region from 2021 to 2023, average regional scores increased from 68% in 2021 to 72% in 2022, then declined to 66% in 2023. Seven States Parties maintained consistently strong scores (≥ 85%), whereas nine exhibited fluctuations of at least 10 percentage points. Categorizing States Parties into three groups based on geographical and economic characteristics highlighted that core capacities such as financing, food safety and the control of zoonotic diseases were areas requiring additional capacity-building, particularly among Pacific Island States Parties. Low- and middle-income States Parties also reported notable gaps in financing and infection prevention and control. These findings underscore the need to strengthen national coordination and accountability mechanisms. The strategic establishment or designation of a National IHR Authority – a key amendment introduced in the 2024 revision of the IHR – has the potential to enhance implementation by ensuring institutional leadership, fostering multisectoral collaboration and facilitating resource mobilization. However, national efforts alone may not be sufficient. Regional coordination will enhance political commitment and promote coordinated action, thereby strengthening preparedness and response capacities across diverse contexts and supporting more effective implementation of the IHR (2005).

Background and Aim: For teachers and school leaders to implement the MATATAG Curriculum, they need to take part in proper professional development to meet new requirements in the curriculum. This study is concerned with the main aspects that influence expert knowledge through path analysis, focusing on the Regional Training of Trainers in Zamboanga Peninsula, Region IX. Because the Department of Education is focused on equipping teachers with new standards, the study analyzes how Program Management, Training Venue, and Accommodation matter for Learning Management and their relationship to Expert Knowledge. Due to the lack of resources and logistical problems in the Philippines’ Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs), professional development must be carefully controlled to ensure that all regions benefit in the same way. Quality assurance and frequently checking training programs are needed for teachers to be held responsible and to help them build long-term skills (Dicdiquin et al., 2023). Therefore, this study helps explore how different training elements shape workers’ progress, which is fundamental for carrying out the MATATAG Curriculum and for reducing gaps shown in the PISA outcomes (OECD, 2023). Methodology: A quantitative research design employing path analysis was utilized to examine the hypothesized direct and indirect relationships between variables. The participants comprised teachers, master teachers, head teachers, principals, and supervisors from the Department of Education, Zamboanga Peninsula Region IX, who attended the Training of Trainers (TOT). All participants, when grouped, create a chain of guidance and assistance. All towards achieving learning excellence and equity, teachers work hard to teach students, master teachers guide them, head teachers oversee the work, principals direct the team, and supervisors monitor everything. Data were collected through a standardized questionnaire assessing perceptions of program management, training venue, accommodation, learning management, and self-reported expert knowledge. A total of three hundred fifty-six (356) participants were selected using purposive sampling. Path analysis was conducted using Jamovi to test the proposed model. (Navarro & Foxcroft, 2025). Results: All training components—Program Management, Training Venue, Accommodation, Learning Management, and Expert Knowledge—were consistently valued, with excellent consistency, which supports including these in the study analysis. Analysis indicated that Learning Management became much more effective due to Program Management, with the outcomes of the course strongly determining an employee’s Expert Knowledge. The path model performed very well with remarkable fit indicators (e.g., RMSEA = 0.000, CFI = 1.000). Generally, program delivery and instruction are more important than issues like venue and lodging for developing expertise, which should be further confirmed using different samples. Conclusion: The result showed that effective program management plays a more significant role in knowledge gain than aspects like the venue and available accommodation. The results indicate that our proposed framework is appropriately founded and fits the data well. Nevertheless, the suitable fit measures found here suggest that the model should be properly tested on different groups to avoid making it too simple by mistake.

The International Health Regulations (2005; IHR) require States Parties to designate a National IHR Focal Point (NFP; i.e. a national centre) to ensure timely communications with the World Health Organization (WHO) about all events that may constitute a public health emergency of international concern and, following recent amendments, to designate a National IHR Authority to coordinate IHR (2005) implementation within the Parties. Since 2008, the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific has been running an annual simulation exercise, known as the IHR Exercise Crystal, to test and strengthen NFP functionality. This study analyses NFP performance during the IHR Exercise Crystal over a 16-year period (2008–2024, excluding 2009) to inform Member States’ planning for NFP capacity-strengthening in the context of the recent IHR (2005) amendments. Data collected about NFP performance during these exercises were analysed using descriptive statistics across six key NFP performance indicators. Key findings show that the proportion of NFPs that are accessible via e-mail is consistently high (mean: 99%), but there is suboptimal NFP accessibility via telephone (mean: 64%). The proportion of NFPs participating in tele- and videoconferencing during the exercise improved over time (mean: 73%), as did the proportions of NFPs notifying WHO of simulated events (mean: 80%) and contributing information to the Event Information Site for NFPs (mean: 77%). The proportion engaging in multisectoral communication remained variable, with no clear trend (mean: 73%). These results demonstrate that significant progress has been made in strengthening NFP functionality, but there are opportunities for further improvement, particularly in the areas of telephone accessibility and multisectoral coordination. It is critical that States Parties continue strengthening and testing NFP functionality through simulation exercises and other capacity-building activities to ensure effective IHR (2005) implementation. Furthermore, States Parties should develop, test and maintain up-to-date standard operating procedures to support the clear demarcation of roles and responsibilities between the NFP and the National IHR Authority.