Country support

Country support

© WHO/Yoshi Shimizu
© Credits
Improving our performance at the country level is a key priority for WHO in the Western Pacific. Through our Country Support Unit, we help countries improve health outcomes through technical cooperation, policy dialogue and advice, developing norms and standards, generating and sharing knowledge, and convening health partners. 

We work out of 15 country offices across the Region: 11 WHO representative offices and 4 country liaison offices. Together with the Regional Office, our 15 country offices support 37 countries and areas. In countries where we have no presence, we provide support through our Regional Office or a nearby country office with shared responsibility.

Our office in the Western Pacific also serves as a venue for meetings of Member States and technical experts throughout the year. Heads of country offices, also known as WHO representatives and country liaison officers, meet twice annually, in the Regional office. 

These meetings provide an opportunity for WHO representatives to discuss country priorities with technical teams and serve as a monitoring mechanism to update on country-level progress in achieving longer-term objectives in the regional plan or progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
Pacific Technical Support

Pacific Technical Support

© WHO/Yoshi Shimizu
© Credits

Where we work

With our Regional Office in Manila, Philippines and offices in 15 countries, we work with health authorities and partners in 37 countries and areas with more than one quarter of the world’s population. Our reach extends from the Mongolian steppes in central Asia, east to the Pitcairn Islands in the Pacific Ocean and south to New Zealand.

UN Collaboration

WHO’s efforts count most when we are “Delivering as One United Nations” in countries. Through our broad network of country offices, we actively participate in UN joint activities in countries where the UN system is present.

We align our country cooperation strategies with the United Nations Development Assistance Framework – the main platform for UN collaboration at country level – so that we increase coherence, effectiveness and efficiency in delivering results.

As part of the United Nations Country Team, we work to strengthen dialogue within the UN, foster a multi-sectoral approach to health challenges and mobilize resources to achieve national health goals.

Communication for Health

Communication for Health (C4H) leverages the power of communications as a tool for health. Individuals, health workers, policy-makers and government leaders make decisions every day that affect people’s health. These decisions are often shaped by the information people have, the ways in which they communicate and with whom, and the psychological, sociocultural and environmental factors at play.

Evidence-based, strategic communications – that is, using communication principles and processes to target a particular audience for a specific purpose, based on known audience needs and preferences – is an extremely powerful tool for tackling complex health challenges. Whether it be promoting health-protective behaviours for COVID-19, increasing vaccination rates, reducing stigma around mental health, or advocating for inclusive health policies, strategic communication can play an important role.

Country Cooperation Strategies