Dr. Saia Ma’u Piukala is the WHO Western Pacific regional director, the first Pacific islander to assume this role. A politician, public health leader, and surgeon, he earlier served as health minister of Tonga and a member of Parliament. He was also a member of the WHO Executive Board from 2019 to 2022 and commissioner for WHO’s Independent High-Level Commission on NCDs from 2018 to 2020.