Innovation is key to the region’s For the Future vision, or “acting today to address the challenges of tomorrow, with the goal of making the WHO Western Pacific Region the healthiest and safest region”.
The inaugural innovation forum comprised of opening and closing plenaries that wrap around four panels. Each of the panel explores one thematic priority from For the Future, WHO’s vision for the Western Pacific Region, ranging from health security to healthy ageing and the life course, to climate change and environmental health, as well as reaching the unreached.
A diverse roster of speakers and panelists participated in the forum: policymakers from Member States shared their directionality for innovation and latest initiatives such as Society 5.0 in Japan and CareFIJI in Suva. Thought leaders from development agencies and civil society organizations shared their reflections on how to achieve more impactful innovation with systems thinking and shift in mindset. Digital and social innovators shared solutions and learnings in saving lives at birth, and keeping older people healthy, productive, and socially connected. Researchers unfolded their processes of using new ways to design and evaluate intervention.
