Report from the 61st Session of the WHO Western Pacific Region

Siew Yong, President Elect of South West Pacific, attended the 61st Session of the WHO Western Pacific Region in October. 38 member states and many representatives from Civil Society Organisations attended the 5 day meeting where many topics of relevance to Soroptimist International were discussed.

The meeting covered a wide agenda including the Annual Report of the Regional Director, Regional Strategy for Health Care Systems and strengthening Primary Care, Women's Health, Healthy Settings and the regional strategy to stop TB 2011-2015. Technical progress reports were also made on:

• Achievement of the MDGs;
• Dengue Fever - Prevention and Control;
• Protecting Health from the Effects of Climate Change.

Of particular interest to SI was the session of women's health, during which Siew Yong was able to deliver a statement to the member states.

It was highlighted that the region has progressed well on many MDGs. However progress on the MDG 5, Maternal Health, has been slow. In particular, Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic and Papua New Guinea are struggling to improve maternal and neonatal health. The Regional Director said: "I find it shameful that women are still dying in child birth".

Siew Yong was able to include to the SISWP Biennium project in her statement: Birthing in the Pacific. This project will be based in Papua New Guinea and aims to further the skills of midwives and traditional birth attendants as a way of reducing infant and maternal mortality rates. The statement and the details about the SISWP project were very well received elicited a response from the Minister for Health and HIV/AIDs and the Secretary of Health!