Diabetes is a major health and development challenge in the Pacific. To address this, led by SPC, the inaugural Pacific Diabetes Associations Meeting was held in Fiji from 20 to 21 September 2017 to strengthen Pacific diabetes associations and enhance collaboration. The meeting was attended by representatives from governments and diabetes associations from 12 Pacific Island countries and territories, development partners and other stakeholders. A key outcome of the meeting was participants’ development of an ‘action plan’ for their national diabetes association that identifies future focus areas, potential collaborative initiatives, and areas where support is needed to strengthen the role and function of their diabetes association. (Read more)
Supported by SPC, in collaboration with the Solomon Islands Ministry of Health, a 2-days consultation workshop (11-12 June 2019) was conducted in Honiara with the aim to mobilize and engage civil societies to strengthen the efforts in combating NCDs in the Solomon Islands. The workshop brought together representatives from churches, communities, women associations, media, city council, youth groups, and relevant ministries and partner agencies to discuss ways to scale up NCD actions. Several outcomes were achieved through the consultation workshop. The participants: 1) agreed to establish Wellness NCD Alliance that can lead civil society groups in addressing NCDs, 2) identified governance, roles and responsibilities of NCD Alliance, 3) identified priority focus areas and developed work plan, and 4) committed to create and expand network for the Alliance to foster knowledge exchange and share evidence based NCDs best practice.
Typically observed in adults, NCDs are now being increasingly diagnosed in young people but young people have little opportunity to express themselves on these issues. The Wake up! Project encourages young people to create NCD prevention and control messages using a variety of media platforms appropriate for target audiences (e.g. videos, graffiti art, and comics). SPC believes that young people have the power to inspire younger generations to become more involved in health promotion and NCD prevention activities. NCDs are preventable and young people can take charge of their future and become healthy adults. (Read more)
Multi-sectoral engagement and collaboration on multi-sectoral initiatives, is an essential approach to address NCDs. SPC supported Solomon Islands Ministry of Health and Medical Services to conduct a multi-sectoral consultation workshop on 6th -8th June, 2017, with all relevant NCD stakeholders including government ministries, representatives from the churches and NGOs to review their National NCD Strategy 2011 -2016 and develop the strategy plan for 2017 – 2021. SPC continued to work with Solomon Islands to finalise the plan. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the time frame for the plan was amended and is now finalised and completed as the Solomon Islands Multi-sectoral National Non-Communicable Disease Strategic Plan 2019 -2023. (Read more)
The Kiribati Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) in collaborations with the Pacific Community (SPC) hosted a national NCD multi-sectoral consultation workshop on 9-11 May 2017. The workshop brought relevant government and non-government stakeholders and development partners together to look at how sectors can work together to address NCDs and achieve the national vision of a “better educated, healthier, more prosperous nation with a higher quality of life”. One of the key outcomes of the workshop was the establishment of the national Multisectoral NCD Committee to strengthen coordination, collaboration and communication of NCD prevention actions across the many sectors.
The Ministry of health cannot address the NCD crisis on its own as many factors that affect people’s health are outside the health sector. On the 5-7 December 2016 the RMI Ministry of Health with support from SPC hosted the RMI NCD Summit to advocate for strong and sustained whole of government commitment to prevent and manage NCD crisis in RMI. The Summit was opened by President Heine and attended RMI Legislators, Government Ministers, local governments and community leaders, development partners and the private sector. One of the key recommendations from the summit was to establish a Multisectoral NCD Taskforce and a proposal was drafted and submitted to Cabinet for consideration.