Organizations in healthcare are focusing to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts not only for their employees but also to serve patients and families in better ways. Diversity includes understanding the background of employees and patients with respect to religious beliefs, gender, socioeconomic status, and culture. Equity ensures that healthcare workers have what they need to do their jobs and that patients benefit from the best practices in treatment settings. Inclusion means giving employees and patients a voice to provide and receive a high level of healthcare. DEI initiatives foster a workplace environment so that each individual employee has a sense of belonging, and that they are valued. Creating a diverse and equitable workplace is also important for staff training, given the shortage of qualified staff in the healthcare industry.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion have been one of the focus areas of World Health Organization (WHO) as it directly affects patient health outcomes and quality of life. Working with WHO as Unit Head of Integrated Service Delivery, Noncommunicable Disease (NCD) Department at Geneva, CH 2020, Dr. Temo Waqanivalu ensured that DEI remains one of the key focus areas of his duties. He developed 3 capacity building packages (technical, leadership, communication & mobilization) for NCD healthcare workers, and conducted training in 5 countries. Dr. Temo Waqanivalu together with others allocated resources, totaling 158M € for 116 nations, including 79 African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States. He secured funding and led charge for the first-ever guidance on the integration of noncommunicable diseases into health systems, and implemented across 5 nations, covering 10M people.
Ensuring compliance with WHO health standards
Possessing exceptional talent for mentoring global healthcare audiences with focus on DEI, Dr. Temo Waqanivalu directed strategic education initiatives, cultivating professional relationships, and ensuring compliance with WHO health standards. Dr. Temo Waqanivalu headed Integrated Service Delivery Unit of the Noncommunicable Disease Department (NCD), WHO HQ, Geneva, CH 2020, wherein he introduced and grew first-ever global group of Heads of State and Government for NCD, as well as fostered seven Heads of State to attend first meeting to make commitments. He engaged 500-700 global participants per month for thought leadership on NCD on NCD Hard Talks platform.
Walk The Talk program for a healthy lifestyle
Dr. Temo Waqanivalu has also served as Team Lead, Diet & Physical Activity at Prevention of NCD, WHO HQ, and Geneva CH 2014-19, wherein he mentored all facets of diet/physical activities, and facilitated global leadership in professional manner to prevent NCDs. He initiated first guidance on taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages utilized by countries, and designed technical packages on salt and sugar-sweetened beverages as per reduction and fiscal policy guidance. He also spearheaded the Walk the Talk program for healthy lifestyle and policies in WHO, covering up to 17,000 staff members globally.
During his stint as Coordinator – NCD & Health Promotion, WHO Pacific Technical Support, Suva, Fiji, in 2009-13, Dr. Temo Waqanivalu directed NCD, health promotion, mental health, and key public health areas for 22 Pacific Island countries. He led technical support, and assisted with funds generating procedures, while managing NCD programs, covering the 11M population. Dr. Temo Waqanivalu has also published many research papers on Academia on various medical issues affecting people in various regions of the world.