# Self-Care Momentum Builds Across Asia-Pacific: Regional collaboration drives progress across health literacy, Regulatory streamlining and Leveraging Digital Solutions

- Link: https://www.thailand-business-news.com/pr-news/self-care-momentum-builds-across-asia-pacific-regional-collaboration-drives-progress-across-health-literacy-regulatory-streamlining-and-leveraging-digital-solutions
- Published: 2026-11-02T14:10:00+07:00
- Author: PR Newswire

BALI, Indonesia, Nov. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Self-care is gaining momentum across
Asia-Pacific, with more than 140 self-care initiatives aligned with the 2024 Bangkok
Joint Initiative reported across the region in 2025 and 2026. Spanning health literacy,
digital solutions, collaboration and stronger self-care governance, the initiatives
demonstrate growing regional action to advance safe, accessible and sustainable 
self-care in the region.

[⌊REGIONAL COLLABORATION: Regulators, public health leaders, and industry experts
gather at the APSMI Summit 2026 in Bali. Delegations from across Asia-Pacific unite
to discuss regulatory streamlining, digital health innovations, and scaling partnerships
for better health outcomes.⌉⌊REGIONAL COLLABORATION: Regulators, public health leaders,
and industry experts gather at the APSMI Summit 2026 in Bali. Delegations from across
Asia-Pacific unite to discuss regulatory streamlining, digital health innovations,
and scaling partnerships for better health outcomes.⌉[
REGIONAL COLLABORATION: Regulators,
public health leaders, and industry experts gather at the APSMI Summit 2026 in Bali.
Delegations from across Asia-Pacific unite to discuss regulatory streamlining, digital
health innovations, and scaling partnerships for better health outcomes.

Against this backdrop, the **Asia Pacific Self-Medication Industry (APSMI) Summit
2026** brought together Regulators, public health leaders, healthcare professionals,
academics and industry in Bali under the theme **"Self-Care in Healthcare: Scaling
Partnership for Better Health Outcomes." **Discussions focused on the issues shaping
self-care across the region, with participants exchanging perspectives and experiences
on regulatory streamlining and reliance, OTC access, safe use of switched medicines,
e-labelling, and the role of pharmacists and antimicrobial resistance with a focus
on how these approaches can support informed and responsible self-care.

**Self-care can deliver value for people and health systems**

_"Self-care is making a vital, measurable contribution to healthcare systems. Global
Self-Care Federation research shows that self-care generates USD 144 billion in 
annual health system savings globally, saving 2.20 billion physician hours and 13
billion individual travel and wait hours,"_ said **Rachmadi Joesoef, Chairman of
APSMI, Representative of GP Farmasi and CEO of PT Konimex. **

_"The opportunity now is to build on the momentum already underway across Asia-Pacific
to scale responsible self-care and its contribution to better health outcomes. No
single stakeholder can do this alone. Partnership will be critical to sustaining
progress_," **he added**.

**Regulators strengthen regional collaboration through one-of-a-kind Self-CARER 
platform**

The Bali discussions provided an opportunity for Regulators to also exchange experiences,
challenges and best practices, while recognising the diversity of regulatory and
healthcare environments across Asia-Pacific.

**Mr. Takayuki Okubo, Co-Chair of Self-CARER & Director (Office of International
Regulatory Affairs, Pharmaceutical Safety Bureau, Ministry of Health, Labour & Welfare,
Japan) said**: _"Our Self-CARER platform which is a strategic coalition uniting 
Regulatory Authorities, Healthcare Experts, and the Asia-Pacific Self-Medication
Industry (APSMI) is dedicated towards translating our continued dialogue into meaningful
progress for people across the region_. _These three days demonstrated the value
of sustained regional collaboration through exchanging regulatory experiences, challenges
and best practices. _"  

**Regional Action on Bangkok Joint Initiative gains pace**

In 2026 alone, 81 self-care initiatives were reported across 10 markets by 17 organisations,
spanning health literacy and education, technology and digital solutions, public-
private collaboration, self-care governance, and the economic and social value of
self-care. Together with activity reported in 2025, this brings the number of reported
initiatives aligned with the priorities of the 2024 Bangkok Joint Initiative to 
more than 140.

According to **Manjulaa Narasimhan, WHO Scientist & Lead, Self Care**, **_"Evidence-
based self-care options as recommended in the WHO global normative guidelines are
increasingly complementing facility-based care and advancing the health and well-
being of people across their life-course in all economic settings. These self-care
options are also responding to core public health challenges in the Asia-Pacific
region by contributing to increasing health literacy, access, equity, and health
system capacity"_**

APSMI also launched its first Asia regional survey with IPSOS on digital e-labelling
and regulatory streamlining of OTC self-care products. The findings are being discussed
within Self-CARER to inform the next phase of work, alongside continued best-practice
sharing and collaboration on regulatory streamlining and digital health.

**Indonesia: advancing the Self-care Conversation**

As host country, Indonesia provided an important setting for the regional dialogue
on how self-care can support better health outcomes through regulatory innovation,
informed consumer participation and stronger collaboration.

[⌊COMMITTED TO PUBLIC HEALTH: Prof. dr. Taruna Ikrar, M.D., M.Biomed., Ph.D., Head
of the Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (BPOM) , delivers a press statement alongside
Regional and Global Self Health delegates in Bali. BPOM continues to champion responsible
self-care across Asia-Pacific while maintaining its core responsibility to safeguard
public health.⌉⌊COMMITTED TO PUBLIC HEALTH: Prof. dr. Taruna Ikrar, M.D., M.Biomed.,
Ph.D., Head of the Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (BPOM) , delivers a press 
statement alongside Regional and Global Self Health delegates in Bali. BPOM continues
to champion responsible self-care across Asia-Pacific while maintaining its core
responsibility to safeguard public health.⌉[
COMMITTED TO PUBLIC HEALTH: Prof. dr.
Taruna Ikrar, M.D., M.Biomed., Ph.D., Head of the Indonesian Food and Drug Authority(
BPOM) , delivers a press statement alongside Regional and Global Self Health delegates
in Bali. BPOM continues to champion responsible self-care across Asia-Pacific while
maintaining its core responsibility to safeguard public health.

**Prof. dr. Taruna Ikrar, M.D., M.Biomed., Ph.D, Head of Indonesian Food and Drug
Authority, Republic of Indonesia **said, "At BPOM, we remain committed to supporting
responsible self-care through science-based regulation, digital innovation, effective
oversight, and public education, while maintaining our fundamental responsibility
to protect public health."

**Rizka Andalusia, Director General of Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices, Ministry
of Health, Indonesia stated**, "Indonesia is committed to making self-care a key
pillar of health and well-being through better access, reliable information, and
professional guidance. This requires strong collaboration across government, industry,
healthcare professionals, and communities to ensure safe and equitable self-care
for all."

_"What is powerful about the progress in Asia-Pacific is the collaboration behind
it, with regulators, industry, associations, health experts coming together to share
learnings and advance common priorities with one goal at the centre: empowering 
individuals across Asia-Pacific to make informed choices and play a more active 
role in their health,"_ said **Greg Perry, Director-General, Global Self-Care Federation**.

**About Asia-Pacific Self-Medication Industry (APSMI)**

The Asia-Pacific Self-Medication Industry (APSMI) is the regional association representing
the self-medication industry across the Asia-Pacific region. APSMI works closely
with regulators, healthcare professionals, academia, industry associations, and 
other stakeholders to advance evidence-based policies, strengthen health literacy,
and expand access to safe and responsible self-medication practices. Through cross-
sector collaboration, APSMI is committed to supporting stronger healthcare systems,
empowering individuals to take greater responsibility for their health, and contributing
to the achievement of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) across Asia-Pacific.

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