The COVID-19 pandemic deeply affected the Pacific Islands, with early lockdowns mitigating initial health impacts but causing significant economic losses. As borders reopened in 2022, Omicron surges overwhelmed the region’s health systems, revealing critical gaps in response.  

In response, the U.S. government expanded Global Health Security (GHS) funding, with a focus on strengthening disease prevention and response capacities. Regional leaders of Health stressed the inevitability of future pandemics and the need to prepare for health system shocks from pandemics, outbreaks, and climate-related disasters. 

The U.S. government, in collaboration with the Pacific Community (SPC) launched a five-year initiative to strengthen disease prevention and response capacities in the Pacific Islands. This effort focuses on developing governance structures, policies, and training to address zoonotic disease outbreaks and bolster regional health resilience.   

Additionally, the Pacific Islands face compounded health challenges due to frequent zoonotic outbreaks and limited health infrastructure, necessitating the need for multi-sectoral cooperation to strengthen health systems across the region. The Pacific Community’s Strategic Plan emphasises a "One Health" approach, integrating human, animal, and environmental health. The U.S. government is collaborating with regional partners to enhance preparedness, surveillance, and biosecurity, addressing health challenges exacerbated by increasing zoonotic disease outbreaks.  

The Global Health Security (GHS) project in the Pacific Islands region is deeply aligned with the One Health approach. This collaborative framework recognises the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, emphasising the need for a multisectoral approach to address challenges in the animal-human-environment interface. 

Objectives

Vision: Sustainable One Health approaches adopted that enhance the security and well-being of humans, animals, and the environment in the Pacific. This aligns with the SPC’s vision that people and communities live safe, free, healthy, sustainable and productive lives. 

Goal: By 2028, Pacific Island regional capabilities to prevent, detect, and respond to diseases are strengthened, thus reducing the threat of infectious disease outbreaks.  

Outcomes  

1. One Health collaboration is strengthened and sustained;
2. One Health workforce capacity is strengthened;
3. Outbreaks and other threats are responded to rapidly and effectively;
4. Emerging and zoonotic disease threats are detected early with timely laboratory confirmation and reporting; and
5. Emerging and zoonotic disease threats are assessed and prevented.  

Development Hypothesis 

If One Health collaboration is strengthened and sustained, and,  

If the one health workforce capacity is strengthened, and,  

If outbreaks and other threats are responded to rapidly and effectively, and,  

If emerging and zoonotic disease threats are detected early, with timely laboratory  

confirmation and reporting; and  

If emerging and zoonotic disease threats are assessed and prevented;  

Then, regional capacities to prepare, prevent, detect and respond to diseases will be  

strengthened, and the threat of outbreaks will be reduced. 

Areas of targeted work (activities)

• IHR Coordination, National Focal Points, and Advocacy
• Antimicrobial resistance
• Zoonotic diseases  

Partners  

• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
• World Health Organization (WHO)
• Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)
• U.S. Department of State (DOS)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S CDC) 

Contact Person

Eric Rafai – One Health Coordinator  

Email: [email protected]