Te Marae Ora, Ministry of Health has pledged US$5700 to the World Health Organisation (WHO) to support new investment strategies set by the new regional director for the organisation.

TMO secretary Bob Williams says the Cook Islands pays an annual contribution to the work of the WHO as a member like other member states of the organisation.

Williams said each WHO Pacific islands member country stood in solidarity to support the investment strategy based on a similar calculation for membership contributions to the organisation which was set at US$5,700.

He said the new pledge is to support the implementation of the new Vision the Regional Director Dr Ma’u Piukala presented to the Regional Committee at the recent 75th Regional Committee Meeting chaired by TMO Minister Vainetutai Rose Toki Brown.

“The vision symbolises collective action to improve health and well-being and save lives and will be operationalised through work towards achieving universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”

Williams said that many member states have made pledges to the work of WHO and through several funding mechanisms to support the implementation of approved frameworks and programmes which the Cook Islands is a beneficiary for years.

 “The membership agreed that what was important is the spirit of the collective membership and not the amount of the pledge.

“Working together, we can ensure that all people of the Region – whether they live in the world's largest cities or Small Island Developing States – can attain the highest possible level of health and well-being for a brighter and healthier future."