07 November, 2008 - The Ministry of Health, Fiji launched the National Mass Drug Administration programme for lymphatic filariasis on the 31st of October and Dr Chen Ken, WHO Representative in the South Pacific urged "everyone to swallow the drugs..."
In the Pacific, WHO estimates that 7.9 million are still at risk of infection in 16 Pacific island countries and areas. Elimination of lymphatic filariasis in Fiji is feasible but it will require great committment from all members of the community, to ensure that as close to 100% of the population swallows the drugs.

03 November, 2008 - The World Health Organization has organised a consultation in Suva, Fiji for health professionals, educational institutions and donor agencies from around the Pacific to review and refine the plans for strengthening specialised clinical services in the region.

26 October, 2008 - Efforts by Pacific island countries to improve sanitation, hygiene and drinking water will need to quintuple if the Pacific's millennium development goals are to be met. This finding comes from a joint World Health Organization (WHO) and Pacific Islands Applied Geo-science Commission (SOPAC) report released today [full report available here].

27 October, 2008 - The World Health Organization (WHO - WPRO) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) have signed a new four-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) designed to improve collaboration between the two organizations and to seek innovative solutions to assist Pacific Island countries and territories to achieve better health outcomes.

20 October, 2008 - The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), together with other members of the STI Working Group for the Pacific and the Fiji School of Medicine, are co-facilitating a training of trainers in comprehensive sexually transmitted infections (STIs) case management for 30 health professionals from 10 Pacific Island countries.

15 October, 2008 - The World Health Report 2008, launched today, critically assesses the way that health care is organized, financed, and delivered in rich and poor countries around the world. The WHO report documents a number of failures and shortcomings that have left the health status of different populations, both within and between countries, dangerously out of balance.

06 October, 2008 - 510 people from 17 different Ministries and local businesses enjoyed an afternoon of Friday sport - at Tonga's 2nd Annual Inter-Departmental Sports Competition, on September 26. The competition will run for 2 months and is aimed at promoting health in the country.

04 October, 2008 - St Giles Hospital opened up its doors to the public to launch the beginning of World Mental Health Week. Attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Health, WHO and the general public, the day was very successful.

22 September, 2008 - Shin Young-Soo of South Korea was elected as the new director for the Western Pacific region of the World Health Organization.

The announcement occurred at the WHO Western Pacific Regional Committee Meeting, held in Manila. Shin will serve this highly prestigious and challenging role for 5 years, working closely with the South Pacific office of the WHO Representative.

15 September, 2008 - Today marked the opening of the new Ministry of Health and World Health Organization Office, located within the MoH Building in Suva, Fiji. This initiative will enable even closer collaboration toward the common goal, health for the peoples of the Pacific.

09 July 2008 - An announcement was made today that two WHO projects, 'support for strengthening the quality of nursing services and nursing education in the Pacific' and 'increase continuing education for nurses and health professionals' would be conducted in partnership with NZAID.

01 July 2008 - In Pacific island countries; the shortage of skilled health workers, compounded by out-migration, is a major constraint in the delivery of health care and health interventions. Subsequently, the World Health Organization is convening a working group meeting in Nadi this week on the Pacific Human Resources for Health Alliance (PHRHA), which is aimed at ensuring that the roadmap for PHRHA is relevant and aligned to the human resources for health needs and priorities of the Pacific.

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