These are just some of the many public health milestones that we should be proud of as people in the Pacific. These successes are a testament to what we can achieve if we all –leaders, health workers, volunteers, communities, partners and donors – work together towards common health goals
The One Health approach relies on the interdependency of human, animal and environmental health. Zoonotic disease surveillance, management and control are better managed using a cross-sector, transdisciplinary approach. Of particular interest, the emergence of vector-borne zoonotic diseases in relation to climate change is better handled with a One Health approach: the human and financial cost of outbreaks may be reduced if detected in vectors, wildlife or livestock first.
This is a continuation of the Postgraduate Certificate in Field Epidemiology Course for Tonga which started in 2021 funded by the European Union (EU).
Infection, prevention, and control (IPC) focal points from Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga, Kiribati, and Solomon Islands successfully completed a 10-hour hand hygiene Gold standard auditors training. They are now recognised as the first cohort of IPC focal points in the Pacific as Hand Hygiene Australia (HHA) Gold Standard Compliance Auditors & Assessors, and are now able to train general auditors making the program more sustainable at country level.
The training was held virtually during the first week of April and was facilitated by Kate Ryan, HHA Manager and Program coordinator.
Photo: Pacific Community health experts conduct laboratory training for COVID-19 testing with their healthcare colleagues in Nuku'alofa, Tonga. Credit: Pacific Community (SPC)
Infection prevention and control (IPC) measures implemented by healthcare facilities play an important role in controlling the transmission of COVID-19, other infectious diseases and healthcare associated infections including antimicrobial resistance.
A two-day IPC workshop was held earlier this month with health care workers at the Prince Ngu Hospital in Vava’u Tonga.
A group of 13 Tongan officers last month received 2-year certifications for laboratory specimen handling and shipment of infectious substances in accordance with International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulations. These certifications are an important step for strengthening laboratory services across the Pacific region. This service is especially critical during a pandemic as there is a need to refer samples across borders for testing and confirmation of diseases.
For the third consecutive year, young people from different Pacific island states and territories have the opportunity to spread prevention and control messages for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) using different media, thanks to the Wake Up! Project, launched in 2017, with financial support from the Pacific Fund (France) and the Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and implemented by the Pacific Community (SPC).
As measles cases continue to be reported in the Pacific, the Pacific Community (SPC) continues to closely monitor the situation and produces a weekly map showing measles and other epidemic and emerging diseases circulating in the region.
As of 13 January 2020, Pacific countries with documented measles virus circulation and alerts on the map are: American Samoa, Fiji, Kiribati, New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga and Australia (Queensland).
The map can be accessed online at: www.spc.int/phd/epidemics
