Opening remarks for Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab Acting Regional Director for the Western Pacific on World Health Day Event Celebrating WHO75

This is my first World Health Day in the Western Pacific, and it is such an honour to be here with you all here in Manila, the much-loved home of our Regional Office, as we celebrate our past, present and future. 

In 1948, the Western Pacific looked very different than it does today. People lived for only 40 or 50 years. In some parts of the Western Pacific, half of the babies born died before celebrating their first birthday. 

Smallpox and polio were major threats. Malaria was widespread, and other infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, yaws and leprosy posed challenges. 

It was in this context, in the devastating wake of World War II, that countries around the world came together and founded the World Health Organization. Since then, we have worked tirelessly to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. 

Three quarters of a century on, a lot has changed. And I am glad to say much of it for the better.  

Thanks to the combined, tireless efforts of WHO, your governments, our Member States, and partners, people in our region now live on average 77 years, a staggering three-decade increase.  

Smallpox has been vanquished, and we are “this” close to the end of polio. Deaths from malaria have plummeted by 88% in the past two decades. Maternal and child mortality rates have significantly declined, and vaccination coverage has reached an impressive 90% for children in the Western Pacific. 

Today, and throughout this year, we are looking back at the public health successes that have improved the lives of families, communities and countries. 

It is also a time to recognize the health challenges we face today—and in the future—and recommit to the public health investments, innovations and actions needed to tackle them. 

Noncommunicable diseases like cancer and diabetes have become the leading causes of death in our region, and our aging population presents new complexities. Vulnerable communities still face barriers in accessing quality and affordable healthcare, and environmental hazards like air pollution and climate change pose serious threats to public health. 

And, as well all know too well, we continue to experience health emergencies. In 2022 alone, we responded to 19 major events in the Region, including COVID-19, mpox, dengue and human cases of avian flu, as well as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis. But we have been relatively lucky - the International Health Regulations (IHR) and three iterations of the Asia Pacific Strategy for Emerging Diseases and Public Health Emergencies helped ensure that, through the current pandemic, our Region has maintained relatively low mortality rates and achieved the highest vaccination coverage. 

It is clear that health and wellbeing have improved vastly since WHO’s founding, but the goal of ‘health for all’, which drives all that we do, is not yet a reality. Major challenges—and opportunities—remain. 

Through our For the Future vision, we making the Western Pacific region the safest and healthiest in the world. This vision focuses on four priority areas: health security, including combating antimicrobial resistance; addressing NCDs and aging; mitigating climate change, protecting the environment and health; and ensuring that even the hardest-to-reach populations can access healthcare. 

We must not lose sight of our goal of Universal Health Coverage, to give people access to health services and financial protection throughout the whole cycle of health care: from prevention to promotion, care, and rehabilitation. 

As we look back on 75 years of WHO's remarkable journey, we are reminded of the immense progress we have made, but we also recognize that there is much work to be done. With the unwavering support of countries, partners, and communities, we continue to strive towards the goal of universal health coverage.  

Together, we can—and we must—achieve health for all.