June 2024
June 2024
WHO takes action against increasing dengue outbreaks in the Western Pacific Region
In April this year, the Pacific island country of Samoa declared a dengue outbreak, reflecting a concerning trend of escalating rates of dengue cases across the Western Pacific. The Region’s Pacific island countries and areas are particularly vulnerable to dengue outbreaks due to favourable mosquito breeding conditions and different circulating strains of the virus. Through surveillance, technical assistance, provision of essential supplies, risk communication and community engagement, WHO is actively responding to dengue outbreaks and reducing dengue transmission across the Region.
According to Tagaloa Dr Robert Thomsen, Acting Director General and Deputy Director of Health, Public Health, from the Ministry of Health in Samoa, “WHO’s continued technical assistance and provision of essential supplies, such as the 1250 rapid diagnostic testing kits and spraying equipment recently received, provide important support to Samoa’s dengue control activities. We continue to strengthen surveillance and public and community awareness prevention and control activities. This multi-pronged approach has helped to contain the outbreak.”
Dengue Community of Practice for Clinical Management
WHO convened clinicians from across the Region through a Community of Practice for the clinical management of dengue. Over 200 health practitioners from 20 countries (12 in the Region) participated in the first in a series of clinical management sessions. Health practitioners within the Dengue Community of Practice will leverage this platform to share best practices in clinical management and navigate common challenges. The Dengue Community of Practice will thus advance early diagnosis, timely referral, and case management of dengue/severe dengue.
WHO supports Papua New Guinea in the aftermath of a recent landslide
In May 2024, a landslide in Enga province, Papua New Guinea, directly affected or displaced 8,000 people and disrupted access to essential services for an additional 40,000 people. WHO accompanied the Minister of Health to the affected province and landslide site, and is co-leading the health cluster along with the Department of Health.
Asia Pacific Health Security Action Framework
Public health emergencies, including pandemics, highlight the need for health systems and services that are prepared, resilient and ready to respond to health security threats. Endorsed by Member States in 2023, the Asia Pacific Health Security Action Framework (APHSAF) is designed to engage multisectoral actors in health security, and to reflect the complex nature of current and future public health emergencies. The Framework presents six interconnected, multisectoral domains of work that together form a comprehensive, multi-hazard health security system — emphasizing the One Health approach. The Framework also supports progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and universal health coverage while meeting the responsibilities and obligations of the International Health Regulations (2005).
WHO Member States in the Western Pacific Region strengthen risk communication through behavioural insights
The Asia Pacific Health Security Action Framework prioritizes actions to ensure that countries’ emergency response communication activities are community-centred and informed by data and behavioural insights. To help Member States implement the Framework, WHO hosted a workshop on “Using Social and Behavioural Insights to Support Risk Communication in the context of Emergencies in the Western Pacific Region” that brought together ministry of health representatives from seven countries in the Region: Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Viet Nam. Through active engagement during the workshop Member State participants developed a list of priority actions to promote the use of social and behavioural sciences for future emergencies.
Republic of Korea enhances health emergency workforce through partnership with the Global Outbreak Alert & Response Network
The Republic of Korea is intensifying its efforts in public health preparedness by strengthening its team of trained national public health experts to tackle infectious disease outbreaks, both at home and abroad. In a significant move, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) partnered with the Global Outbreak Alert & Response Network (GOARN) to conduct specialized training for 33 public health professionals from KDCA and the Republic of Korea’s National Medical Center (NMC).
The Commissioner of KDCA, Dr Youngmee Ji, emphasized the critical importance of this partnership: “KDCA’s vision of a safer and healthier future aligns with WHO’s goal of advancing health security in the Region. Investing in strengthening the capacity of national public health professionals in the Republic of Korea benefits not just our country but the Region at large,” she stated. This initiative underscores KDCA’s commitment to building a robust national roster of experts capable of rapid deployment in response to diverse disease outbreaks and emergency situations.
WHO strengthens coordination for public health emergency operations in the Western Pacific
As public health emergencies increase in scale, intensity and complexity, they can strain countries’ resources and complicate coordination. Public health emergency operations centres (PHEOCs) serve as coordination mechanisms to address health consequences of emergencies, from volcanic eruptions to disease outbreaks. To boost national capacities, the World Health Organization (WHO) established the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre Network (EOC-NET) in 2012. Currently, EOC-NET membership consists of more than 350 individuals from 70 countries with a shared vision of promoting well-functioning public health emergency operations. Through EOC-NET, WHO facilitates training among PHEOC personnel, shares guidance and creates opportunities for professionals in the network to continuously learn and improve.
Ready to deploy: Strengthening national emergency medical teams across the Pacific
Situated in the Ring of Fire, Pacific island countries and areas are highly vulnerable to disasters. Given that local responders are always the first to act, having national emergency medical teams (EMTs) that are well equipped and trained to deploy at a moment’s notice makes timely and high-quality health emergency responses possible, even in lower-resource settings.
The World Health Organization (WHO) works with Pacific island countries to develop and strengthen EMTs through its EMT initiative. With support from the governments of Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the United States of America, EMTs from the Cook Islands, Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands recently trained and tested their readiness to respond to health emergencies through workshops and emergency simulation exercises. WHO’s Pacific EMT training modules were designed to ensure that the teams can be self-sufficient and provide high-quality medical care in challenging environments, based on WHO’s global standards adapted to the unique context of Pacific islands.
“Ensuring that first responders are prepared and well equipped to provide necessary medical care in the minutes and hours after a disaster is crucial in strengthening resilience within national emergency response mechanisms,” said Zema Semunegus, Pacific Islands Mission Director for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). “The dedication and commitment demonstrated by the EMTs to serving their own communities are truly commendable,” she added.
Joint External Evaluation in Kingdom of Tonga marks a significant milestone in the country’s commitment to strengthening health security
The Government of Tonga marked a significant milestone by conducting its first Joint External Evaluation (JEE) to strengthen national health security preparedness and response capacities. From 29 April to 3 May 2024, the team of international experts assessed national capacities and capabilities under International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) - a legal framework that defines countries’ rights and obligations in handling public health events and emergencies with a potential to cross borders. This mission marks the fifth JEE in the Pacific Region after Samoa, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau. It further amplifies the commitment of the Pacific Health Ministers made in September 2023 to strengthen resilience of health systems and communities, by leading multisectoral coordination to maximize opportunities such as JEEs.
Cambodia seeks to strengthen health security through its second Joint External Evaluation
Since 2023, Cambodia has faced multiple health-related events, including avian influenza, mpox, dengue, methanol poisoning and annual floods. Rapid and ongoing climate and environmental changes, along with political and economic shocks, are increasing the risk posed by all hazards and heightening health risks. To strengthen the country’s preparedness and response capabilities, Cambodia has undertaken a comprehensive assessment of its health security core capacities through the Joint External Evaluation (JEE) process.
With technical support from WHO and funding from USAID, the Ministry of Health’s Communicable Disease Control Department led the second JEE process to examine 19 technical areas by collaborating with various ministries, agencies and partners. “We applaud Cambodia’s strong commitment to transparent self-assessment, and to advancing its health security capacity. Thanks to our successful and ongoing collaboration, Cambodia is one of the 50 partner countries identified in the Global Health Security Strategy launched in April 2024 by the White House. Investing in health security ensures a safer and healthier future for Cambodians and for the global community,” said Mr Christopher Kelly, USAID Acting Mission Director.
World Food Safety Day 2024: Preparing for the unexpected
Gina Samaan, Regional Emergency Director, WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, delivered the opening remarks at a FAO-WHO webinar on World Food Safety Day 2024: Food safety incident management - Experiences from the Asia-Pacific region
"This year’s World Food Safety Day theme, ‘Prepare for the Unexpected’, touches upon a critical message: We must be prepared to face any food safety incident. We know that food safety hazards do not recognize borders and we’ve seen firsthand how risks posed by unsafe food can rapidly evolve from a local problem to an international emergency. Every year, unsafe food makes over 125 million people in our Region sick and causes over 50 000 deaths. Each year, one in ten people fall ill due to foodborne diseases. In fact, foodborne diseases impose a health burden equivalent to malaria, HIV/AIDS or tuberculosis, and cost socio-economic low- and middle-income countries more than USD 100 billion a year. Yet, food safety does not receive the political attention it deserves. We must do more to safeguard the food systems that sustain us, and upon which our lives depend."
Meet Judith Gafa - the first Samoan to participate in the WHO’s Field Epidemiology Fellowship Programme
Judith Gafa is the first Samoan to participate in WHO's Field Epidemiology Fellowship Programme (FEFP) in the Western Pacific Region. Through the programme, epidemiologists like Judith strengthen their skills in collecting, analyzing and interpreting surveillance data in response to infectious disease outbreaks. “I’m grateful for this experience and the opportunity to build skills in surveillance that I can take back to Samoa. I hope other epidemiologists in Samoa can have access to this training and exposure, so that we continually build our capacities,” Judith shares.
WHO supports Fiji to conduct an evidence-based assessment of public health risks
Fiji's Ministry of Health and Medical Services convened 48 representatives from government and non-governmental agencies to develop a national Risk Profile using the Strategic Toolkit for Assessing Risks (STAR) from 28-30 May 2024. Fourteen national facilitators from Fiji's four geographical divisions, facilitated a detailed process on prioritizing hazards, evaluating their likelihood and impact, and also considering vulnerabilities and coping capacities. Fiji plans to use these insights and findings to strengthen National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS); implement International Health Regulations Monitoring and Evaluation Framework tools to improve core capacities in health security; revise the National Health Emergencies and Disaster Management Plan; and inform Public Health Emergency Operations Center Plans and Standard Operating Procedures.
Safely transporting infectious substances: WHO builds national capacities in Cambodia
WHO provided technical support to the Ministry of Health in Cambodia to strengthen national capacities for the safe and quality shipment of infectious substances and dangerous goods. While materials containing biological samples are being transported, there is likely exposure for the people and the environment through which the material passes.
All personnel involved in the packaging, labelling and shipping of biological materials must be appropriately trained, certified, competent and knowledgeable of the relevant national, regional and international regulations. The training in Cambodia was the first step towards building a cadre of certified local shippers that can cater to an increasing demand in shipping infectious substances overseas for surveillance purposes.
The first Pacific infodemic management training organized in Fiji
False or misleading information spread during outbreaks can cause confusion, undermine trust, and hinder health-seeking behaviors. To better prepare for future emergencies, WHO and Fiji's Ministry of Health and Medical Services organized an infodemic management training from 20-22 May 2024. Over the course of three days, health and communication professionals learned how to detect, understand, monitor and respond to mis- and disinformation — with a particular focus on immunization, COVID-19, and other infectious diseases. Bringing together representatives from various disciplines, including surveillance and communications, the training featured hands-on exercises to strengthen infodemic management competencies.
Integrating Respiratory Disease Surveillance across Pacific islands
Pacific Island countries and areas predominately comprise small, dispersed island communities that are vulnerable to respiratory infectious diseases. Collaborative efforts among Pacific Island countries and areas, facilitated by organizations like the WHO, strengthen preparedness, surveillance and detection capacity for respiratory infectious diseases. Building off this collaboration, surveillance and laboratory experts from fifteen Pacific Island countries participated in a three-day meeting, from 25–28 March 2024, on managing respiratory diseases by applying an integrated approach.
During the 2024 meeting, participating Pacific island countries and areas learned about regional and global strategies for preparedness and response to influenza and other respiratory pathogens and discussed how these can be adapted to Pacific contexts. The meeting served as a starting point for drafting a roadmap, which is a plan of action to strengthen integrated respiratory disease surveillance as well as sustain laboratory gains in the Pacific, at country and sub-regional levels.
Referring to the importance of this work, Cynthia Joshua from the Ministry of Health of the Solomon Islands shared, “For me, the self-assessment and road mapping exercises were very helpful in identifying our strengths and weaknesses in relation to in-country surveillance and laboratory capacities and prioritizing areas for improvement to promote a more integrated approach to surveillance.”
Mongolia initiates action towards developing a National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS)
WHO supported a strategic dialogue on Mongolia's National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) from 12-13 June. The workshop saw participation from the ministries of health, environment and tourism, education, border and customs, digital development, security and intelligence, and agriculture and veterinary services. Participants discussed the NAPHS development process and workplan — setting a new phase for strengthening Mongolia's prevention, preparedness and response to health emergencies
Western Pacific Surveillance and Response Journal
Founded in 2010, the Western Pacific Surveillance and Response journal (WPSAR) is an open access, peer-reviewed journal on all aspects of health security in response to public health events and emergencies in the Western Pacific Region. Since its establishment in late 2010, WPSAR has published 484 articles. This map shows a breakdown of the number of articles published by each Member State, as well as those covering the entire Western Pacific Region or all Pacific island countries and areas.
Epidemics that didn’t happen: Leptospirosis in Vanuatu
Between March 1 and 3, 2023, two severe tropical cyclones, Cyclone Judy and Cyclone Kevin, made landfall in Vanuatu. The cyclones devastated homes and critical infrastructure, including roads and airports. For several days, more than 80% of the population was left without food, electricity and basic hygiene facilities. Cyclone Kevin was particularly damaging to the country’s health system.
“The twin cyclones damaged many health facilities across the capital and across the country. Damage to roofing led to broken medical equipment and soiled stockpiles of essential medicines,” said Dr. Philippe Guyant, a medical officer at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Vanuatu. “The response teams had fewer resources to deal with the many public health threats the cyclones helped create because of the cyclones themselves.”