Jakarta. The World Health Organization (WHO) has formally approved Indonesia’s transition from the Southeast Asia Regional Office (SEARO) to the Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO), a move unanimously endorsed by member states during the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) recently held in Geneva.

This strategic shift is intended to enhance cross-regional collaboration in public health and expand Indonesia’s access to broader networks of global health cooperation.

Health Ministry Secretary General Kunta Wibawa Dasa Nugraha said the decision was driven by insights gained during the COVID-19 pandemic, epidemiological considerations, and the country's geographical and public health similarities with nations in the Western Pacific region.

“The pandemic made it clear that Indonesia needs stronger collaboration with its closest neighbors to confront shared health challenges,” Kunta said in an official statement on Monday.

He added that the move aligns with Indonesia’s broader vision to elevate its role in global health diplomacy and gain greater access to innovation and health resources.

Indonesia shares land and maritime borders with 10 countries and has direct flights to 18 neighboring nations -- most of which fall under the WPRO framework. Provinces in eastern Indonesia, such as Papua and Maluku, face similar health challenges and geographic conditions as many Pacific Island nations. Likewise, communities in Sumatra are ethnically and culturally close to Malaysia and Singapore, both WPRO members.

“These geographical and connectivity factors increase our epidemiological risks -- from cross-border movement to high international mobility,” Kunta noted. “This highlights the need for strong cross-border disease surveillance and response in coordination with WPRO countries.”

The transition is expected to provide Indonesia with new opportunities to share expertise, strengthen its capacity to tackle both communicable and non-communicable diseases, and accelerate progress toward the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Several member states welcomed Indonesia’s regional shift during the WHA session, including Australia, Vanuatu, the Philippines, Singapore, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, South Korea, Norway, Cambodia, Japan, the Maldives, and China. These countries expressed strong support for Indonesia’s integration into WPRO, citing mutual benefits for regional health cooperation.

The change officially took effect on May 23, with the transition process to be carried out gradually through close coordination between the Indonesian government, WHO SEARO, and WHO WPRO.

Despite the shift, Indonesia will continue to maintain close bilateral and multilateral cooperation with SEARO member countries, building on long-standing and productive partnerships, Kunta said.