Minister for Health Vainetutai Rose Toki-Brown is on her way to Philippines to chair the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for the Western Pacific meeting next week.

Toki-Brown will become the first female to chair this meeting. She is accompanied by the Secretary of Health, Bob Williams, for the 75^th session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific, which will be held from October 21 to 25 in Manila.

Tou Unuia, chief executive officer of Minister Toki-Brown’s office, confirmed on Wednesday that the Minister and the Secretary of Health were heading to the Philippines for the meeting.

Toki-Brown will be delivering her opening remarks at the official opening of the meeting on Sunday next week.

Matters to be discussed during the meeting include climate health-care facilities, programme budget and budget performance, transformative primary health care, and others.

In July while attending the 23^rd National Health Conference in Rarotonga, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, extended an invitation to the Minister followed by a confirmation letter, formally appointing the MP for Teenui-Mapumai, Atiu, as the chair of the meeting.

In the letter, Dr Piukala stated: “Honourable Minister, I sincerely thank you for agreeing to chair the 75^th Regional Committee Meeting (RCM) in October this year. This will be the first time that the RCM will be chaired by a woman.”

“Your dedication to improving the health of your people is truly inspiring. I noted the close collaboration the government and Te Marae Ora (TMO), Ministry of Health have with your traditional leaders from our visit to the House of Ariki.”

Dr Piukala expressed hope that another female minister would be confirmed to co-chair the significant meeting with Toki-Brown.