Co-hosted by Asia-Pacific Self-Medication Industry (APSMI), the Thai Self-Medication Industry Association (TSMIA) and the GSCF this three day congress united stakeholders and opened with the official launch of the Bangkok Joint Initiative on Self-Care of Medical Products. This initiative stands alongside the Sao Paulo Declaration on Self-Care for Universal Health Coverage as well as the World Bank, HRP, WHO and UNFPA joint statement on self-care and sexual and reproductive health as one of the key achievements for multi-sectoral collaboration around self-care policy in 2024. 

The article emphasizes the role self-care plays in the Asia-Pacific, the need for policy to broaden access to self-care solutions that would build up health system resilience and the importance of health literacy in making sure individuals can effectively manage their own wellbeing. 

Judy Stenmark concludes by sharing her ambition to create a healthier world with more inclusive health systems. Better self-care policy is essential to achieving not only this vision but the United Nations goal of Universal Health Coverage.