Dr Momoe Takeuchi

Dr. Momoe Takeuchi was appointed as Country Liaison Officer, WHO Office for Northern Micronesia, in May 2021; supporting the Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands and Palau. She is a health systems expert with more than 20 years of experience working across multiple countries and health settings in Asia and the Pacific.

Dr Takeuchi joined WHO in 2001 at the organization’s headquarters in Geneva, as part of the Division of Evidence for Health Policy and then in the Department of Planning and Programme Management. In 2006, she moved to WHO’s Bangladesh office, working in polio eradication and immunization, followed by five years at WHO’s Western Pacific Regional Office, working in health systems strengthening and providing country support, including to Pacific island countries.

From 2012-2017, Dr Takeuchi worked in WHO’s Cambodia office as a Senior Programme Management Officer and then as Health Systems Development Advisor, facilitating health sector partnerships and supporting health policy development and systems strengthening. In 2017, Dr Takeuchi was assigned to WHO’s Vietnam office as a Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Team Coordinator. In this role, she supported Vietnam’s efforts for achieving UHC, with a focus on antimicrobial resistance and National Regulatory Authority strengthening for access to safe medicines and vaccines. In 2021, Dr Takeuchi’s work was recognised by the Vietnamese Government with medals - “For the Cause of Viet Nam’s Social Security” and “For Vietnamese People’s Health”.  

Prior to joining WHO, Dr Takeuchi worked in various government, private and academic institutions in Japan. She has a M.A. in International Economics and Development Studies and a Ph.D. in Health Science/ Health Policy and Planning.