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Environmental determinants of health are responsible for more than a quarter of the burden of disease in the Western Pacific Region. Communicable and noncommunicable disease disability and death result from a lack of safe water and sanitation indoor and outdoor air pollution hazardous chemicals occupational hazards and climate-related disasters. The Western Pacific Regional Framework for Action on Health and Environment on a Changing Planet intends to relaunch the World Health Organization (WHO) s Health and the Environment programme and fulfil its mandate in the area of environmental health. It proposes to leverage the health sector focus on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) process providing guidance for prioritizing the work of WHO in support of Member States improving health outcomes through action on environmental determinants. It articulates entry points for health and environment priority actions in WHO country cooperation strategies the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and other mechanisms for international collaboration and notably with the United Nations Environment Programme and ministries of environment. The framework also sets a course for the health sector to advocate adaptive measures policies and action to protect health and well-being as a co-benefit of interventions in energy agriculture transport housing and other spheres.

Beyond the MDGs and their 2015 deadline, the goal of universal health coverage (UHC) is of growing importance, with its core elements of better health outcomes, greater equity and improved financial protection. It is vital that countries' policy decisions be guided by the best available knowledge. In this context, WHO's role as a knowledge-based technical support agency is becoming more crucial. To support Western Pacific Member States' advance towards UHC, WHO has in recent years produced adaptable regional strategies for health system development. This innovative review of the six current regional health system strategies has assessed their usefulness to countries across the Region. This summary report outlines the main findings of the review as well as its objectives, methods, limitations, and implications for the future.

"This report, Women and health in the Western Pacific Region: remaining challenges and new opportunities, is a further step in advancing WHO's commitment to women's health. As the report shows, women and girls have particular health needs that remain invisible and little understood and that health systems are failing them. Some of these are health needs that only women have because of their biological role. Others are those related to all of the health problems that they share with boys and men throughout their lives. The Western Pacific Region has achieved considerable improvements in women's health. However, a significant unfinished agenda remains, with millions of women in the Region facing a variety of avoidable health challenges throughout their lives. Accelerating progress requires renewed political commitment, stronger government leadership, women-friendly health policies, programmes and services and actions across sectors to address the multiple determinants of women's health. It is hoped that this report contributes to strengthening the evidence base on the health of women in the Region and provides the basis for more vigorous action."--Page iii.

Broadening health promotion financing arrangements contributes to the goal of health improvement shared by the countries of the Western Pacific Region. Health promotion that is sustainable underpin stable and effective mechanisms to ensure access to all quality health services. It is hoped that this document will trigger more discussions on how health promotion financing can be linked to health sector reform and how this strategic approach will move the level of discourse from within the health sector to the broader arena of healthy public policy.

The Western Pacific Regional Food Safety Strategy 2011-2015 has contributed to good progress in food safety across the Western Pacific Region. However more than 125 million people fall ill and more than 50 000 die annually from unsafe food in the Region. Food safety is a highly complex health issue involving multiple domestic and international stakeholders. Over recent years new developments including the introduction of new technologies increasing internationalization of the food chain and demographic changes have affected food safety in the Region. The changing context of food safety affects food safety risk management as well as trust in the safety of the food supply. Food safety trust is a multifaceted issue and an outcome of effective food safety systems. At the same time it serves as an enabler for strengthening food safety systems to manage food safety risks and respond to food safety incidents and emergencies. The Regional Framework for Action on Food Safety in the Western Pacific builds on the achievement and lessons learnt from the 2011-2015 Strategy. It acknowledges the changing context of food safety and revisits the approach for strengthening national food safety systems. This includes a stronger focus on building trust and confidence in food safety systems and implementing strategic actions that create leadership partnerships competency and resources that are the necessary enablers for advancing food safety systems. The Framework provides guidance on strategic action and a stepwise approach to strengthen food safety systems to better manage food safety risks and respond to food safety incidents and emergencies. It is intended to guide national food safety authorities in implementation of strategic action to strengthen national food safety systems as well as to obtain and advocate for high-level political support to enhance food safety. It is also intended to facilitate regional cooperation among food safety authorities.

This framework has been prepared to translate strategies and activities recommended by GVAP into the context of the Western Pacific Region and to incorporate all global and regional immunization goals. By consolidating all of this information in one document, the framework aims to accelerate progress towards achievement of global and regional immunization goals and to help stakeholders better understand how to work together in implementing GVAP in the Region.

Public health is a core element of governments' attempts to improve and promote the health and welfare of their citizens. Unfortunately, there is evidence that current public health systems and services are not able to cope well with the modern challenges - new technologies, globalization, migration, bioterrorism, etc. In view of this, the WHO Western Pacific Region initiated studies on essential public health functions (EPHFs) in Fiji, Malaysia, and Vietnam. By drawing on research in other parts of the world, a framework and nine EPHFs were derived for these case studies. These nine EPHFs define more clearly and systematically the core areas of public health work for which governments are ultimately responsible. These EPHFs are also considered appropriate for further consultation and use in the Western Pacific Region. This publication is aimed at providing EPHF concepts and ideas that will help countries ensure that they develop and sustain a comprehensive approach to public health. The case studies may also provide ideas for other countries on methods that could be used to examine the current functioning of EPHFs and on different approaches for strengthening these essential functions in different health systems.

The Western Pacific Regional Food Safety Strategy 2011-2015 has contributed to good progress in food safety across the Western Pacific Region. However more than 125 million people fall ill and more than 50 000 die annually from unsafe food in the Region. Food safety is a highly complex health issue involving multiple domestic and international stakeholders. Over recent years new developments including the introduction of new technologies increasing internationalization of the food chain and demographic changes have affected food safety in the Region. The changing context of food safety affects food safety risk management as well as trust in the safety of the food supply. Food safety trust is a multifaceted issue and an outcome of effective food safety systems. At the same time it serves as an enabler for strengthening food safety systems to manage food safety risks and respond to food safety incidents and emergencies. The Regional Framework for Action on Food Safety in the Western Pacific builds on the achievement and lessons learnt from the 2011-2015 Strategy. It acknowledges the changing context of food safety and revisits the approach for strengthening national food safety systems. This includes a stronger focus on building trust and confidence in food safety systems and implementing strategic actions that create leadership partnerships competency and resources that are the necessary enablers for advancing food safety systems. The Framework provides guidance on strategic action and a stepwise approach to strengthen food safety systems to better manage food safety risks and respond to food safety incidents and emergencies. It is intended to guide national food safety authorities in implementation of strategic action to strengthen national food safety systems as well as to obtain and advocate for high-level political support to enhance food safety. It is also intended to facilitate regional cooperation among food safety authorities.

Overweight and obesity have become urgent global health issues in recent decades. Globally the number of overweight children under the age of 5 years has increased from 32 million in 2000 to 41 million in 2014 corresponding to an increase in prevalence from 5.0% to 6.1%. It is estimated that at the current pace by 2020 some 9% of all children under 5 years will be overweight. Furthermore an increase in adult obesity prevalence has been observed in all countries and globally the prevalence of obesity among adults has doubled from 1980 to 2014 from 5% to 11% for men and from 8% to 15% for women. Overweight and obesity were estimated to account for 3.4 million deaths annually and 93.6 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) 1 in 2010. The burden of overweight and obesity is inequitably distributed and affects some population groups and geographical areas more than others based on their social characteristics which are also inequitably distributed. Vulnerability to overweight and obesity might depend on for instance urban or rural residence socioeconomic status ethnicity or the geographical area where people live and their nutritional status in the first 1000 days of life. This report intends to assist policy-makers in the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region by contributing to a better understanding of the unequal distribution of overweight and obesity in the Region and by providing policy options to address the social determinants of overweight and obesity. Identifying vulnerable population groups or areas can help policymakers programme managers and other actors to improve programme targeting and increase the effectiveness and improve the health and well-being of the most vulnerable.