ECO Care Equity in the Asia-Pacific Conference
From Risk to Resilience: Health System Sustainability in an Era of Climate Change
📅 27–31 October 2025 | University of Fiji, Samabula Campus, Suva, Fiji
Event Overview
The ECO Care Equity in the Asia-Pacific Conference will bring together leading voices in health, policy, and development to strengthen Emergency, Critical, and Operative (ECO) care systems across the region in an era of climate change.
Co-hosted by the Pacific Islands Surgeons Association (PISA), the Global Alliance for Surgical, Obstetric, Trauma, and Anaesthesia Care (The G4 Alliance), and the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS), this conference is a major regional gathering focused on building sustainable, climate-resilient health systems in the Asia-Pacific.
In-person and virtual participation available.
Why It Matters
Pacific Island nations face mounting health risks from the impacts of climate change, including:
- Rising disease burden linked to displacement and extreme weather
- Fragile health infrastructure and workforce shortages
- Limited access to essential and surgical care, particularly for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)
- Fragmented emergency and surgical systems
- Under-implemented National Surgical, Obstetric, and Anaesthesia Plans (NSOAPs) and heavy reliance on external donor support
This conference represents a strategic regional intervention—a space to catalyze collaboration, innovation, and resilience-building across diverse partners.
Conference Purpose
The meeting will convene leaders in surgical, obstetric, anaesthesia, emergency, and critical care, as well as experts in public health, climate resilience, and health financing, to:
- Advance the World Health Organization’s ECO Care Continuum in the Pacific
- Showcase country-level progress on NSOAP implementation
- Address cross-cutting issues such as gender equity, antimicrobial resistance, artificial intelligence, and oncology
- Strengthen advocacy, financing, and regional partnerships for sustainability
Key Themes
- From Risk to Resilience: Sustainable health systems in an era of climate change
- Strengthening ECO and SOTA Care Systems: Building the foundation for emergency preparedness and universal health coverage
- Policy to Practice: Translating regional commitments into coordinated implementation
- Regional Collaboration: Financing, partnerships, and innovation for equitable health access
- Equity and Inclusion: Centering gender, community leadership, and local capacity-building in resilience planning
Why You Should Attend
- Connect with global and regional leaders shaping the future of ECO care
- Engage in high-impact discussions on climate resilience and sustainable healthcare
- Influence regional frameworks and financing strategies for system strengthening
- Join a movement for equitable, climate-responsive surgical care in the Pacific
Event Partners
Highlights
Prof. Ifereimi Waqainabete giving the opening message to the G4 Alliance-organized days of the conference.
G4 Alliance Vice President Rick Henker joins an interactive discussion with panelists on mitigating the impacts of climate change through approaches emphasizing sustainable hospitals, emergency preparedness, and team training.
Dr Muhammad Kusdiansah representing the Ministry of Health of Indonesia, describes their innovative task sharing program to dramatically expand access to neurosurgical care across Indonesia.
Panel on integrating the NSOAP and ECO policy frameworks, with Prof Waquainabete (former MOH of Fiji and current President of PISA) and representatives from Pacific islands with national surgical plans.
Panel on the role of nursing within NSOAPs and ECO care. Moderated by G4 Alliance VP Rick Henker and Amy Leah Potter of Operation Smile, and panelists from the Pacific Community Dr Karen Hammad and Dr Lamour Hansell and Mamatuki Sosefo of Lautoka Hospital. Representatives are from Vanuatu, Fiji, Cook Islands, Tonga.
Headquarters
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1050 Connecticut Ave NW Suite 500
Washington, DC 20036 USA
Connect With Us
- contact@theg4alliance.org