Photo: RNZ / Moera Tuilaepa-Taylor
A new health report has emphasised that underfunding and a lack of healthcare workers are main challenges facing parts of the Pacific region.
The Sustainability and Resilience in Pacific Island Health Systems report was released by the Centre for Pacific and Global Health at the University of Auckland and the Centre for Asia Pacific Resilience and Innovation (CAPRI).
The report will be launched at an event on Thursday, including guest speakers in former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who is the chair of the CAPRI international advisory council, and Centre for Pacific and Global Health director Sir Collin Tukuitonga, among others.
The report has been co-authored by Sir Collin, alongside medical experts Dr Roannie Ng Shiu, Tonga's Minister of Health Siale 'Akau'ola; Pacific Island Health Officers Association executive director Emi Chutaro, and CAPRI director of research Caroline Fried.
"We agreed to look at Tonga, Marshall Islands, and Vanuatu to get a view on the Pacific Islands," Sir Collin said.
The report evaluates health systems across seven domains: population health, environmental sustainability, workforce, medicines and technology, service delivery, financing, and governance.
"There is nowhere near enough money, absolutely not enough money," Sir Collin said, pointing to the need for more resources, healthcare workers, and targeted funding across the region.
Key findings highlight improvements in population health, the urgent need for enhanced healthcare workforce capacity, and significant gaps in health system financing, and governance.
"New Zealand and Australia should train more of their own people and not take nurses and doctors from the Islands," Sir Collin said.
New Zealand Health Minister Dr Shane Reti disagreed with Sir Collin's claim, saying, "while there's clearly a competitive international market and keen interest from overseas health professionals in working here, we will always continue to try and work collaboratively with close partners."
"For instance, the Ministry of Health's Polynesian Health Corridors programme provides some workforce capacity support through training of health workers, including vaccinators in recent years.
"This year, we have also funded the new Bachelor of Nursing course in Samoa to build a self-sustaining workforce," he added.
Sir Collin said to build sustainable and resilient health systems, there needs to be an increased national investment in health, coordinated regional policies, and robust global partnerships to address interconnected challenges, particularly in the context of climate change.
"This is an area of major concern, given that the Pacific is bearing the brunt of the crisis, he said.
Sir Collin added the launch event on Thursday will be an invaluable opportunity for healthcare professionals, policymakers, and researchers from the region to connect.