NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) — Pacific island countries on Thursday voiced great concerns over the public health problems in the region, with the shortage of skilled workers being a major cause. A statement released by the 16-member Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) said “the range and complexity of public health problems in the Pacific is immense” and the health systems are “struggling to meet peoples’ needs and expectations.”
The region is experiencing a “triple burden of disease,” namely communicable and non-communicable diseases, and the major emerging threats related to environment and climate changes, said the statement.
Major diseases in the region are diabetes, maternal and child health, AIDS, malaria or dengue, according to the statement.
The health problems have negative impact on the economies and ecosystems in the region, it said.
The statement was read out by Papua New Guinean Foreign Minister Samuel Abal to the region’s 14 dialogue partners, who are mostly big economies, at a meeting here.
Abal said the shortage of skilled health care workers, which is due to inadequate training and substantial migration, hampers effective response to challenges.
He said effective and sustainable strengthening of the health systems is the most important priority for the region.
Other priorities include enhanced health workforce planning and training, infrastructure development, procurement of supplies and improved health information systems, he said.
PIF, founded in 1971, is an inter-governmental organization which aims to enhance cooperation between the states in the South Pacific. It groups 16 member nations, namely Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Nauru, New Zealand, Tonga, Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Niue, Marshall Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
