This week I attended the seventy-sixth session of the World Health Organization Regional Committee for the Western Pacific held from 20 to 24 October 2025 in Nadi, Fiji
https://www.who.int/westernpacific/about/governance/regional-committee/session-76
The Western Pacific Region includes 2.2 billion people - a quarter of the world's population - and includes the world's largest and smallest nations.
Dr Helen L. Blake, Holly McAlister and I attended as representatives of the International Association of Communication Sciences and Disorders (IALP). We submitted three statements addressing the agenda items (oral health, mental health, and tobacco control) and one was selected for presentation on the floor.
We were granted permission from WHO and IALP to present our research “Children Draw Health to Advance Health Equity”.
Children across the world were invited to create and describe an artwork to present their perspectives about health and healthcare by considering the following prompts: What makes you healthy? Who helps you be healthy? Where do you go to get healthier? What would your ideal hospital or health service look like? A children’s advisory group considered 126 drawings by children from 18 countries to create this summary document. The views of children with disability are featured. The brochure is available here: https://www.csu.edu.au/research/childrens-voices-centre/home
 |
| Dr
Helen L. Blake, Holly McAlister, Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala (WHO Regional
Director for the Western Pacific), Distinguished Professor Sharynne
McLeod |
Our statement to the floor included the following:
"I am speaking as the representative of the International Association of Communication Sciences and Disorders (IALP, https://ialpglobal.org/about-us/), a worldwide organization of over 300,000 professionals and scientists from 55 affiliated societies in 35 countries. My name is Distinguished Professor Sharynne McLeod, speaking with Dr Helen L. Blake and Holly McAlister from the Children’s Voices Centre at Charles Sturt University in Australia. We are speech-language pathologists...
Communication specialists, including speech-language pathologists, have significant evidence-based strategies to support swallowing and communication...Members of IALP stand with the World Health Organization ... – particularly for those with swallowing and communication disability to support and enhance their participation in society. We encourage the WHO to work on disability and rehabilitation initiatives that include communication specialists such as speech-language pathologists and we encourage WPRO to consider holding a side event at RCM77 focused on advancing health equity for people with disability."
 |
| Holly McAlister, Distinguished Professor Sharynne McLeod, Dr Helen L. Blake ready to make a statement to the floor of the 76th Regional Committee Meeting |
The meeting was opened by Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Director-General, World Health Organization
Regional Director: Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala is the Regional Director for the Western Pacific. His theme is “Weaving health for all” focusing on equity and health resilience.
Here are some quotes from the Regional Director’s speeches
Health
“Health remains the thread that defines dignity and hope”
“Health is not a luxury, but a right”
Teamwork
“Weaving health is not about perfect threads – it’s about the strength of the weave. Let us continue this journey together”
“If you want to go fast – go alone. If you want to go far – go together”
Leadership
“Leadership is not about being in charge, but taking care of those in your charge”
“Thank you to our chair for steering us through our acronyms…”
Some countries were celebrated for eliminating trachoma (preventable blindness), measles and rubella. 25 years ago Western Pacific was polio free.
We have had wonderful discussions with many people during the week including:
- Dr Mark Jacobs is the Director of Pacific Technical Support and WHO
Representative to the South Pacific. He is an alumni of Charles Sturt
University
- Honourable Vainetutai Rose Toki-Brown, Minister of Health for the Cook Islands, Chairperson at the 75th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific
 |
| Distinguished Professor Sharynne McLeod (CSU), Dr Mark Jacobs WHO Representative to the South Pacific, Dr Helen L. Blake (CSU), Honourable Vainetutai Rose Toki-Brown, Chairperson at the 75th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific, Holly McAlister (CSU) |
 |
| Distinguished Professor Sharynne McLeod (CSU), Dr Helen L. Blake, Holly McAlister |
 |
| Regional Director's dinner |
 |
| Regional Director's dinner |
 |
| Regional Director's dinner |
Many important topics have been discussed this week including climate change, tobacco and alcohol consumption. “Harm falls primarily on – youth, women, Indigenous, economically disadvantaged… Progress is too slow and uneven… We require collaboration across sectors to ensure our younger generation is safeguarded... We require collective action to create a healthier society for all.”
