The Pacific NCD1 Summit was convened in Kingdom of Tonga on 20-22 June 2016, with the support of the Government of Tonga, SPC and development partners. The summit was opened by His Majesty King Tupou VI and key note address was delivered by Ms Helen Clark, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme. The President of Kiribati, the Prime Minister of Tonga, Pacific Ministers of Health and representatives of governments from 20 PICTs across the region, experts from development partners, non-government and academic organisations, and representatives of Pacific regional organisations attended the summit. Several recommendations and outcomes that address NCD in a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach were endorsed by the Pacific Leaders during the Summit (Read more here)
NCD was at the top level agenda in the Twelfth Pacific Health Ministers Meeting in August 2017 in Cook Islands. SPC, WHO and partner agencies presented the progress, challenges and recommended actions to scale up NCD in the Pacific region. Ministers recognized the robust commitment over the last ten years for the prevention and control of NCD in the Pacific, but realized that greater emphasis is needed on multi-sectoral approaches. Ministers expressed their concern on the growing burden of childhood obesity and highlighted the need for multiple, sustained and cross-sectoral actions to effectively reduce and prevent childhood obesity. Ministers committed to address NCD crisis and endorsed several recommendations to scale up NCD action in the Pacific (Read more)
At the Pacific Heads of Health Meeting in April 2019, partner agencies including SPC, WHO, FNU presented the progress towards the implementation of Pacific NCD Roadmap monitored through Pacific Monitoring Alliance for NCD Action (MANA) Dashboard; Pacific Ending Childhood Obesity (ECHO) priority actions; development of Pacific NCD Legislative Framework; and taxation impact assessment in the Pacific. Issues and challenges were discussed, and recommendations to improve actions at national levels were endorsed by the Heads of Health (Read more)
Through UNDP’s parliamentarian development programme, SPC and WHO helped facilitate the Cook Islands parliamentarian workshop in June 2017 that specifically address NCD as development issue. Hon speaker of parliament, government ministers and member of parliaments participated in the workshop. The workshop aimed to raise awareness on NCD at high political level, and to build capacity and develop NCD competence among members of parliament and engage with them on key policy issues.
An NCD briefing for members of Parliament of Fiji was held on 27th March, 2017 as a collaborative effort and partnership between SPC, UNDP, WHO, FNU, McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer and Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services. The briefings aimed at raising awareness on the challenges and opportunities to address NCDs as well as its impact on significant developmental issues such as good health and indicators of economic growth. Workshop evaluation showed that the members of parliament found the session ‘strongly helpful’.
SPC, together with partner agencies, supported Tokelau Ministry of Health to conduct the inaugural Tokelau National NCD Summit 17th – 19th May, 2017. Participants were Ministry of Health, parliamentarians from the 3 atolls of Tokelau (Ulu o Tokelau and the Tau Pulegas), representatives from government departments and members from the communities. The objectives were to strengthen and improve political leadership and ownership of NCD actions at national level and to build capacity for improved actions and outcomes. An outcome of the summit was the Ulu o Tokelau and the leaders prioritised NCD and that each atoll will take actions to address NCDs.