News release
MANILA, 21 December 2012 - The World Health Organization's (WHO) country offices in Viet Nam, Mongolia and the Philippines have launched new websites to strengthen their capacity to help improve the health and quality of life of people in their respective host countries.
"These new websites will certainly complement WHO country offices' quest to achieve the highest attainable level of health for many people," says Dr Shin Young-soo, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific. "For years, WHO country offices have been at the forefront of numerous public health efforts, playing a critical role in disease control and prevention."
WHO Viet Nam was the first to launch on 5 October followed by Mongolia on 15 October and the Philippines on 23 November. The China and South Pacific offices are slated to unveil their new websites early in 2013.
The new websites underscore that good and effective communications are critical to the fulfilment of WHO's essential public health mission and its ability to reach its key audiences. Each website offers valuable information about WHO health policies, norms and standards as well as good health practices. Just as important, the websites can provide real-time information during public health emergencies.
Dr Takeshi Kasai, WHO Representative in Viet Nam, emphasizes the importance of having a new website. He says it helps the office "reach out to the Vietnamese public and create online linkages to our local partners and stakeholders. Now more than ever, our website is critical to achieving WHO Viet Nam's goals."
WHO Viet Nam's new website replaces the one created in 2009. It is currently available only in English and will be produced in Vietnamese soon, then formally inaugurated.
"We are eager to know the feedback of our Vietnamese counterparts," says Dr. Kasai.