Pacific Helping Pacific: EpiNet Sets Regional Plan

by Pacific-Community SPC

The Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network (#PPHSN) convened the EpiNet Technical Working Group (TWG) in Nadi🇫🇯 this week to strengthen how EpiNet works and plans for the future.

ℹ️EpiNet is a multidisciplinary team made up of Pacific Islander #HealthProfessionals in each countries preparing and responding to disease outbreaks and health emergencies. The technical working group has been tasked to prepare foundational guidance documents paving the setting-up of a system, where a regional response mechanism would complement EpiNet national teams. It is the Pacific helping the Pacific when extra support is needed.

Over the two-day meeting, the EpiNet group including country members (Guam🇬🇺 Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services, Tonga🇹🇴 Ministry of Health Tonga, Fiji🇫🇯 Ministry of Health & Medical Services - Fiji, French Polynesia🇵🇫 Direction de la santé, Samoa🇼🇸 Ministry of Health Samoa) and technical allied partners (Pacific-Community-SPC, World Health Organization (WHO), CDC, University of Newcastle, Public Health Operations in Emergencies for National Strengthening in the Indo-Pacific (PHOENIX), Burnet Institute, South Asia Field Epidemiology Training Network (SAFETYNet), Health Security Partners (HSP), Pacific Island Health Officers Association) agreed on clear governance and leadership, endorsed key structures and elected a new Chairperson and a Vice-Chair. Chair: Dr. Patrick Sotto (Territorial Epidemiologist - Guam) Vice-Chair: Ms Raihei White (Epidemiologist - French Polynesia) The members also approved a 3-year Implementation Plan (2026 – 2028) that will inform resource generation efforts to support EpiNet operations in the region.

Diseases like 🦠dengue fever, measles and new health threats are becoming more frequent, so a strengthened EpiNet with a clear plan in place will position national teams to be better prepared to respond quickly and effectively, support other countries and protect communities when the need arises.

Strengthening EpiNet in the Pacific means being ready, faster outbreak response, stronger health systems, protected families and communities leading to an improved regional and global health security. The two-day meeting was organized by Pacific-Community-SPC with financial support from AFD - Agence Française de Développement, the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the European Union in the Pacific.

#PacificExpertise #SharedLeadership #SaferCommunities #PacificHealth

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