Indonesia has officially moved from the South-East Asia Region (SEAR) to the Western Pacific Region (WPR) grouping in the World Health Organization (WHO).
Secretary General of Indonesia's Health Ministry Kunta Wibawa Dasa Nugraha confirmed that WHO members unanimously approved the decision during the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, on May 19–27, 2025.
"The move is part of our strategic efforts to strengthen cross-regional health collaboration and expand the cooperation network in the public health sector," Nugraha noted here on Monday.
He stated that the change takes effect on May 23, 2025, and that the transition process will be carried out gradually by the Indonesian government, the SEAR Office, and the WPR Office in the WHO.
The ministry official explained that the move was motivated by lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic, including the need to enhance cooperation with neighboring countries in the WPR that share similar epidemiology traits and public health issues with Indonesia.
He stated that Indonesia shares land and maritime borders with 10 countries and has direct flights to 18 countries, most of which fall under the Western Pacific Regional Office of the WHO.
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While Indonesia's easternmost provinces in Papua and Maluku share health challenges with Pacific Island countries, its westernmost provinces in the Sumatra Island are "culturally and ethnically" close to Malaysia and Singapore, both of which are part of the WPR.
"Such geographic and connectivity factors increase epidemiological risks through population crossing at border areas and high international mobility," Nugraha pointed out.
By aligning itself with the WPR in the WHO, Indonesia aims to strengthen its health diplomacy and expand access to health innovations and resources.
Indonesia will also be better positioned to share its experiences, develop treatment capacity for communicable and non-communicable diseases, and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the health sector.
Nugraha emphasized that despite the move to another region, Indonesia will continue to collaborate closely with other countries in the WHO's SEAR group.
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Translator: Mecca Yumna, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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