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.

‘Agence française de développement’ (AFD - the French Development Agency) is providing the Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network (PPHSN) with an EUR 2 million package of emergency financial support, designed to strengthen the epidemic surveillance and response capacity of 12 Pacific Island states and territories in crisis situations such as COVID-19, but also for dengue fever or any other emerging disease.  

Can you tell us about yourself?

The COVID-19 outbreak that started in early December 2019 has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020. It means that the number of affected countries increased, including Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs). It doesn’t mean, however, that the virus has become more infectious or more deadly.

The European Union (EU) has provided EUR 3 million (FJD 7.2 million) to the Pacific Community (SPC) to strengthen health security in the Pacific.

The Public Health Surveillance Network Services to Strengthen Health Security in the Pacific project, which will be led by Pacific Community’s (SPC) Public Health Division, will support regional capacity for surveillance and epidemiology; laboratory services and systems; vector and disease surveillance and control; and risk communication.

The Pacific Community (SPC) is closely monitoringCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak that started in the city of Wuhan, Hubei Province, China early December 2019 and continues to grow. Our Public Health Division (PHD) works in close collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) as part of the multi-agency Incident Management Team (IMT) which has been set up to support and guide Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs) in their preparedness, surveillance and response activities.

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

The Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) are most vulnerable to health security risks brought by emerging and re-emerging infectious disease epidemics such as dengue fever or measles.

Strengthening public health laboratory services is crucial to ensure timely, accurate and reliable diagnosis of such diseases.