Our work in the Philippines
The Philippines has been an active Member State of WHO, and is the home of the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific. The country has played a critical role in shaping development agendas, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the spirit of the SDGs, the country cooperation strategy focuses on leaving no one behind and enhancing collaboration for health to move the Philippines closer to universal health coverage. The work of WHO and the Department of Health will focus on five strategic priorities: saving lives, promoting well-being, protecting health, optimizing the health architecture and using platforms for health.
For WHO, this strategy paves the way for a new level of collaboration with the Philippines – as a focused, transparent and committed partner that supports the country in making health a priority across programmes and sectors. Government departments and United Nations agencies, multilateral and bilateral partners and civil society groups have contributed to the development of this strategy.
Philippines-WHO Country Cooperation Strategy 2017-2022
In recent years, the Philippines has undergone astounding economic and social development, recording the greatest growth among emerging Asian economies in 2016. Rapid economic growth and strong country capacity have contributed to Filipinos living longer and healthier. However—despite substantial progress—achievements in health have not been uniform, and challenges remain.
The Philippines–WHO Country Cooperation Strategy 2017–2022 sets out how WHO will work with the Philippines over the next six years to realize the vision of the Philippine Health Agenda 2016–2022 as a stepping stone towards the health-related Sustainable Development Goals.
National health agenda in the Philippines
The Philippine Health Agenda 2016–2022, launched by the Secretary of Health in September 2016, provides the strategic framework for achieving national health targets. Under the motto All for Health towards Health for All, universal health coverage is the platform for health and development in the Philippines – driven by action within and outside the health sector. Reducing health inequities is singled out as the most important priority among three health guarantees:
- Ensuring financial protection for the poorest people
- Improving health outcomes with no disparities
- Building health service delivery networks for more responsiveness
WHO support to the Philippines
WHO support to the Philippines will leverage the resources and expertise of the three levels of the Organization – the Office of the WHO Representative in the Philippines (country office), the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific and WHO headquarters. In doing so, WHO seeks to harness global knowledge for the betterment of the health of the Filipino people and provide a platform for the Philippines to engage in regional and global health initiatives.
Being a learning organization, WHO will adapt the way it works in the Philippines to maximize its contribution – as a place of meeting and dialogue where public health stakeholders come together to consider challenges and develop innovative solutions. WHO will work as a group of highly motivated professionals who look beyond so-called programmatic silos in providing health leadership across sectors and leadership for public health.
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