Health ministers and senior health officials from the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies convened in Lima, Peru, from August 14-18. They participated in a Women’s Health Policy Dialogue, the Health Working Group, and the 14th High-Level Meeting on Health & the Economy.
Below are the key takeaways from the discussions.
1. Medicines and Access: The Role of the Private Sector
Officials underscored the role of the private sector in supporting health systems, with discussions focusing on overcoming regulatory and policy barriers that limit access to health products and services. Participants explored strategies to reduce waiting times for diagnostics and treatments and addressed financial and human resource gaps that hinder timely medical care. The session called for greater collaboration between public and private sectors to enhance access to medicines and services across the region.
2. Comprehensive Care Throughout the Life Course
Officials highlighted the importance of comprehensive care across all stages of life, with discussions on supporting the health of future generations and promoting healthy ageing. Japan presented its initiatives for child health, while Peru shared information about their programmes for elderly care as examples of effective strategies. The APEC Vaccines Task Force presented progress in advancing vaccine confidence, securing sustainable sources of financing, and expanding vaccine programmes to adult and elderly populations. Adult vaccines were shown to return up to 19 times their initial investment when benefits beyond the health system are considered. In their joint statement, APEC Health Ministers reaffirmed support for the APEC Action Plan on Vaccination Across the Life-Course and the need for sustainable health financing to reduce the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases in older populations.
3. Gender and Health: Addressing Health Inequities
At both the Women’s Health Policy Dialogue and the 14th APEC High-Level Meeting on Health & the Economy, officials emphasised the need to reduce gaps in health service delivery and access for women, whose well-being is crucial for economic empowerment. Ministers emphasised the importance of achieving better women’s health outcomes, including sexual and reproductive health, through APEC initiatives like Smart Families. Further, they discussed how initiatives for women’s health could capture more of the rapidly growing pool of innovative and sustainable financing, which is currently valued at USD 5.4 trillion and growing by 22% annually. Officials also highlighted the criticality of caregiving infrastructure to women’s health and economic empowerment and the continued need for sex- and gender-disaggregated data through APEC initiatives like Embracing Carers and Healthy Women, Healthy Economies.
4. Strengthening Health Human Resources
Building a resilient health workforce was identified as a priority, with a focus on improving data use for workforce planning and addressing mental health and wellbeing among health workers. The discussion highlighted the importance of balancing workload and mental health, particularly in crisis situations, and called for greater collaboration between economies to create a robust framework for health worker support.
5. Inclusive Health Systems: Integrating Traditional and Complementary Medicine
Officials discussed the inclusion of traditional and complementary medicine in health systems to create more inclusive health care. Presentations from China and Peru showed how integrating traditional practices can strengthen health systems, particularly in diverse cultural contexts. The session encouraged APEC economies to preserve traditional medicine knowledge and explore integrative approaches to health care.
6. Health as a Catalyst for Economic Growth
The impact of health on economic growth was a recurring theme, with presentations discussing the socioeconomic burden of disease and the importance of investing in health as a driver of economic development. Public-private partnerships were highlighted as key to financing and advancing the health sector, with a call for increased investment in medical technology and R&D.
7. Cervical Cancer Elimination: Progress and Future Goals
The progress towards eliminating cervical cancer in APEC economies was another focal point, with an emphasis on the importance of comprehensive national elimination plans. Presentations from various economies highlighted successful initiatives, such as the HPV vaccination programmes in Peru and Indonesia’s roadmap for cervical cancer elimination. The session concluded with discussions on the next steps for the APEC Roadmap for Cervical Cancer Elimination 2026-2030, aiming to leverage APEC’s collective influence to support economies in achieving elimination goals.
8. Rare Diseases and Genetic Medicine
As rare diseases continue to pose significant public health challenges, the APEC Action Plan on Rare Diseases, which was endorsed by APEC Health Ministers in 2018, has provided a valuable framework for addressing these issues across member economies. In 2025, officials may consider updating the plan to incorporate the latest advancements in genomics, diagnostics, treatment, and policy development. This revision could further align with APEC’s broader health objectives, ensuring that rare disease patients receive timely and equitable access to care across the region.
9. Regulatory Harmonisation
The HLM statement reiterated the importance of cross-fora collaboration. It also welcomed the reinvigoration of APEC’s work on facilitating regulatory cooperation to enhance access to safe, effective, and quality-assured medical products and improve public health. The APEC Regulatory Harmonization Steering Committee, whose terms of reference were endorsed in March 2024, provided a readout of its first meeting as a fully reconstituted body during the Health Working Group meeting.
10. Climate Change and Health: Addressing Emerging Threats
Climate change and its impact on health were major focal points of the discussions, particularly the rising incidence of disease outbreaks linked to warmer temperatures and natural disasters, such as dengue fever. Participants highlighted the urgent need to implement integrated strategies that address these challenges, including sustainable financing, the use of technologies such as point-of-care diagnostics and digital systems, and the importance of preparedness.
The APEC calendar next turns to the following events:
- Digital Week (21-25 August)
- High-Level Dialogue on Mining (11 September)
- Small and Medium Enterprises Ministerial Meeting (13 September)
- Finance Ministerial Meeting (18-21 October)
- APEC Economic Leaders (heads of state and government) (15-16 November in Lima)
Access Partnership’s Tech-Enabled Verticals team was involved in several meetings during APEC Health Week and supported the government of Peru in organizing a women’s health policy dialogue. For more information, please contact Patricia Wu at [email protected].
