Pacific Community and world Health Organisation

lighten linKs on Pacific health matters

By PaTrick Decloitre

The Pacific Community’s director general Lourdes Pangelinan and World

Health Organisation

(WHO) South Pacific representative Dr Shichuo Li signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at improving “health and well-being of Pacific island people”.

“WHO and SPC have a long time of good collaboration in the Pacific.

“I think this agreement is another step forward for closer efficient collaboration in the near future.

“There are a lot of aspects in health in which we have mutual interests in the region : training, information exchange.

technical activities and a lot of other projects,” Dr Li said.

The agreement follows earlier arrangements between the regional organisation and the UN body, which go back fourty years : on August 4, 1960, WHO and SPC had officially established work relations.

“Over the years, our two organisations have established an excellent partnership, at the technical level and at policy level.

“They have already worked closely together. In SPC and WHO’s case, over the past couple of years in particular, in the areas of public health, surveillance, tuberculosis, filariosis, nutrition, communicable diseases, HIV/AIDS.

“We make sure our services are common but that there is no duplication,”

SPC director general Lourdes Pangelinan commented.

The agreement sets out to “enhance collaboration and coordination” between the two organisations, especially in the fields of mutual support to members countries and territories, exchange of information, drafting of joint strategies, holding of joint workshops and seminars to “address major issues of public health importance”.

Earlier, Ms Pangelinan signed an agreement between the Pacific Community and the Commonwealth Veterinary Association along similar lines.

WHO South Pacific representative Dr Shichuo Li (left) and Pacific Community director general, Lourdes Pangelinan