Public Health Program - Public Health Division

Strengthening foodborne disease surveillance in the Pacific Island region

Foodborne diseases are a concern in the Pacific Island region, like elsewhere in the world, and surveillance of these diseases must be strengthened across the region.

Next week (from Monday 23 to Friday 27 February), the third regional training course for Global Salmonella Surveillance (GSS) in the Pacific Island region will be organised in Guam to address specifically the North Pacific region.

‘Two courses were organised previously in the South Pacific region, in Fiji Islands in 2006 and Papua New Guinea in 2008,’ says Dr Justus Benzler, Communicable Disease Surveillance Specialist at the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC).

’With these three sub-regional courses, more than 100 microbiology technicians and public health practitioners/epidemiologists from 19 Pacific Island countries and territories* will have equipped themselves with the knowledge and skills to detect different types of Salmonella organisms (which can be the cause of foodborne diseases) and to investigate and better control outbreaks of foodborne diseases, in particular those of typhoid fever.’

New Pacific Physical Activity Guidelines for Adults

These guidelines were developed by the World Health Organization in collaboration with the Secretariat of Pacific Community (SPC) and the University of Sydney’s Centre for Physical Activity and Health and in consultation with the Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs), to help address the escalating prevalence of non-communicable diseases in the Pacific region.

They can be found on SPC’s website and at the following URLs: http://www.wpro.who.int/southpacific or http://www.ap-pan.org/.

They are intended as a resource for health professionals, relevant government and non-government stakeholders, allied health professionals, health promotion practitioners, policy-makers, sports and recreation groups, educators, communities and groups or individuals working in physical activity, nutrition and sports and health development.

Nauru better equipped to face emerging infectious diseases

With new stockpiles of personal protective equipment (PPE) for animal and human health-care workers, the Republic of Nauru is now better equipped to cope with emerging infectious diseases, especially avian and pandemic influenza.

‘The world is facing growing threats from emerging infectious diseases, which continue to pose serious public health threats in the Asia Pacific Region’, says Dr Si Thu Win Tin, Director of Public Health, Nauru Ministry of Health. ‘Nauru supports the recommendation that countries and areas in this region must be better prepared to meet these challenges to minimise their impact on public health and economic development and prevent the spread of diseases.’

Tackling non-communicable diseases – the Pacific Framework for NCD Prevention and Control

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death in Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs), accounting for approximately 75% of deaths annually.[1]

Surveys undertaken in selected PICTs reveal that significant rates of NCDs arise from key risk factors such as hypertension and obesity.[2] Research has shown that addressing major risk factors by improving the diet, increasing physical activity, and controlling the use of tobacco and alcohol can have a significant effect on lessening the incidence of NCDs, preventing up to 80 per cent of heart disease, stroke and Type 2 diabetes, and 40 per cent of cancer.[3]

Cook Islands enhances its ability to respond to avian and pandemic influenza threats

A series of workshops on infection control and exercises to test avian and pandemic influenza preparedness just took place in Rarotonga from Wednesday 23 July to Friday 1 August 2008. These initiatives aim to increase Cook Islands’ readiness for avian and pandemic influenza events and other threats of infectious diseases.

‘The Pacific Islands, including the Cook Islands, are at risk of avian and pandemic influenza, like other parts of the world,’ says Dr Roro Daniel, Secretary of Health, Cook Islands. ‘Considering the limited resources shared by most Pacific Island countries and territories, it is critical that we test components of our pandemic preparedness plan and refine our capacity to effectively respond to these threats.’

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News on the Round 7 Global Fund Pacific Islands multi-country HIV and tuberculosis proposals

In November 2007, the board of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) approved the Round 7 Pacific Islands multi-country HIV and tuberculosis proposals.

The five-year proposals have a value of USD 25.3 million (HIV) and USD 13.3 million (TB). In accordance with normal policy, the Board initially approved a ceiling of funding for the first two years (Phase I) of each proposal at values of USD 10.7 million and USD 5.68 million respectively, subject to grant negotiations.

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