Karo is a nurse-midwife at the Fiji Cancer Society. She advocates for a community-centred approach which builds trust and empowers women to seek early and regular clinical screening for cervical and breast cancers.

Mai Van Chuyen, a physical education teacher from Dak Lak province in Vietnam, works to prevent drowning in the country by bringing mobile swimming pools to villages and teaching children’s basic underwater skills and safety.

Putting people and communities at the centre of health care is a key element of tackling many health issues. When it comes to diseases like leprosy, tailored, context-based approaches are essential. So Visal is a physiotherapist in Cambodia who has been working with people affected by leprosy for close to 25 years. Watch his story about building relationships and working directly with village chiefs, health centre staff and community members in the country.

Udila Tawake is a registered nurse in Fiji who cares for patients with respiratory conditions. She knows all too well the dangers created by the lack of a consistent and reliable supply of medicinal oxygen -- a situation that is even worse for health-care centres in more remote, hard-to-reach areas. Delivering medicinal oxygen to these facilities is complicated, and the equipment required often cannot be used during power outages, which are common in many areas. This is her story of innovation through the Oxygen Project to bring supplies to remote areas.

As a community nurse and midwife, Ismaziah Binti Ibrahim understands the importance of accessible maternal health care. The clinic where she works, Klinik Desa Broga in the Malaysian state of Selangor, is often the first point of contact between local pregnant women and the health system. Watch the story of Ismaziah Binti Ibrahim's work caring for women and children in Malaysia.

Anolyn learnt the value of an active lifestyle through her journey to play table tennis at the Olympics. Now, she helps women in Vanuatu to lead active, healthy lives.

After a difficult conversation with his doctor, Khishigdavaa made the important decision to change his diet and lifestyle to combat noncommunicable diseases. These days, he runs a health club in Dharkan Soum where he supports individuals in his community to achieve their health and wellness goals.

As a preschool teacher, Emily shares her story about teaching children how to properly brush their teeth with fluoride toothpaste to help them develop life-long healthy habits.

In Japan, Mr Katsumura Hisashi lost his first child during childbirth when his wife was given a labour-inducing drug without being informed of the details of her treatment. At that time, hospitals were not obligated to inform patients of the details of treatment, and there were no clear pathways for consent and understanding between patients and medical professionals. Since then, he has become an advocate for patient participation and patient-centred medicine and has succeeded in getting laws amended to require disclosure of medical information to patients.

Following surgery for a cancerous tumour, Sok Voeun was able to receive primary health care services at her local health centre. Her ability to access a nearby clinic using her health scheme card eased the burden of her illness and recovery.

When local officials visited Pa Vang’s rural Hmong community in search of volunteers to train as traditional birth attendants, she was nominated by her fellow villagers to attend. Since then, she has supported hundreds of women in accessing care as they give birth.

When Tim was subjected to bullying during school, his mental health took a heavy toll and stigma meant that help was hard to find. Now, he’s an advocate for mental health, working on ways to teach empathy to school kids.