Tuvalu was COVID-19 free up until October 2022 however since that time, reported community transmission of COVID-19 cases as of 24 November 2022 has now reached 2362.

The Pacific Community (SPC) with funding support from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) will deploy a team comprising of 5 nurses, SPC’s Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) advisor and Clinical Services advisor. The nurses departed for Tuvalu over the weekend.

Strengthening public private partnerships in health is important as it strengthens the continuity of quality and efficient health services delivery while bridging the gap when it comes to cost sharing, resources, human resources, and capacity development.

The recent surge in Covid cases in Samoa over the past two months has strained national government resources to provide Covid test kits to all personnel. The Samoa Health Department identified the Apia Fish Market and the International Wharf at Matautu as areas of high risk; two key areas where fisheries data are collected by Samoa Fisheries field staff.

Testing has been one of the critical elements in global efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19. Dr Eka Buadromo is the Advisor for Laboratory Services in the Pacific, for the Pacific Community. She says now that borders are open and there is community transmission testing is a vitally important tool to help keep cases low.

Duration: 5min

Broadcast: Mon 21 Mar 2022, 9:55am

After a volcanic eruption, a tsunami and the continuing challenges of the COVID-19 outbreak, the people of Tonga are united in an effort to protect their communities and rebuild their island nation. However Pacific nations and organizations always rise to support their neighbours, and the efforts to support Tonga are no exception.  

Health experts from the Pacific Community’s (SPC) Public Health Division were recently deployed to Kiribati to assist with COVID-19 response.