Kiribati

The following syndrome has been flagged:

• Acute Fever and Rash: French Polynesia, Tonga

Other Updates:

Meningococcal disease:

SUVA, 16 April 2018 - Today, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) signed a NZ$7 million agreement to support the prevention and reduction of newborn mortality in Kiribati, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon announces £2.9 million for human rights projects across the Commonwealth, with particular focus on the South Pacific and small states.

UK Minister for Human Rights today announces 3 projects to support human rights across the Commonwealth, with particular focus on the South Pacific and small states. This £2.9 million work will support member states, regional organisations and human rights institutions in promoting human rights standards across the Commonwealth, with a focus on equality and adherence to international human rights obligations.

New study: The climate change inequality at the heart of the Commonwealth

Introduction

Disaster events have lasting impacts on people, communities, and socioeconomic development. Countries in the Pacific are among the most exposed, globally, to natural disasters, including floods, droughts, cyclones, and earthquakes. The effects of climate change threaten to increase the severity and frequency of hazard events in the Pacific region, emphasizing the need for Pacific island countries to protect themselves against corresponding social and economic consequences.

The following syndromes have been flagged:

· Acute Fever and Rash: Fiji, Northern Marianna Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu

Other Updates:

Meningococcal disease:

· Outbreak of meningococcal disease group C is ongoing in Fiji. The Fiji MHMS will continue to post updates on PacNet. The last update was posted on 6 April 2018 For details of previous updates please refer to: MHMS media release

Dengue:

· There are ongoing dengue serotype-2 outbreaks in Fiji, Vanuatu. The weekly number of cases (dengue serotype-2) reported is decreasing in Tonga and Samoa

WFP/Government of the Marshall Islands News Release

Stretching more than 3,200 kilometres east to west (a larger distance than Paris to Moscow!), and scattered across 3.5 million square kilometres, the Republic of Kiribati is made up of 33 coral atolls and islands in the Pacific Ocean.

The Pacific Logistics Cluster first began working with Kiribati in 2017 as part of strengthening overall humanitarian logistics capacity and ensuring Pacific island countries are equipped with the tools they need to prepare for and respond to emergencies, in a region becoming increasingly vulnerable to natural disasters.

The following syndromes have been flagged:

• Acute Fever and Rash: Northern Marianna Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu

Other Updates:

Meningococcal disease:

• Outbreak of meningococcal disease group C is ongoing in Fiji. As of 29 March 2018 of there have been 38 cases including 4 deaths since 1 January 2018. Majority of the cases are from the Central division and all cases are less than 19 years of age.

The Cassidy Airport Meteorological Station in Kiritimati Island was officially opened today by His Excellency the Honourable President Taneti Maamau, alongside Building Safety and Resilience in the Pacific (BSRP) Project Manager Mr Taito Nakalevu.

The following syndromes were flagged:

• Acute Fever and Rash: Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), French Polynesia, Tonga, Vanuatu

• Prolonged Fever: Fiji

Other Updates:

Meningococcal disease:

• Outbreak is ongoing in Fiji. There has been a cluster identified in a boarding school in the Central Division. The cases are being treated at the tertiary hospital (Colonial War Memorial Hospital), while contacts of the cases have received appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis. Source: Ministry of Health & Medical Services and Media .

The following syndromes were flagged:

• Acute Fever and Rash: Fiji, Tonga, Northern Mariana Islands

• Dengue Like Illness: Vanuatu

• Prolonged Fever: Fiji, French Polynesia, Kiribati

Other Updates:

Meningococcal disease:

SUVA, 19 March 2018 – Government participants from ten countries in the Pacific region will work with experts this week from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Pacific Community (SPC) to strengthen data collection and planning to improve the lives of the most vulnerable families and children. 

The following syndromes were flagged this week:

• Acute Fever and Rash – Vanuatu, Federated State of Micronesia, French Polynesia, Northern Mariana Island

• Dengue Like Illness – Vanuatu

• Prolonged Fever – French Polynesia

Other Update:

Dengue:

Mangrove eco-systems around the region were the focus of talks in Suva, Fiji last week as regional representatives joined experts in discussing how the mangroves eco-systems can help reduce risks in the face of changing climate.

Hosted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the workshop combined government representatives from Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Kiribati and the Solomon Islands, who joined the IUCN and three representatives from the ‘Mangroves for the Future’ in Asia and the ‘Global Mangrove Alliance’ partners.

The following syndromes were flagged this week:

Other Updates:

• Acute Fever and Rash – Northern Mariana Is, Tokelau, Vanuatu

• Dengue-Like Illness – Palau, FSM

• Prolonged Fever - FSM

Dengue

• As of March 1st , 2018 there have been 69 confirmed cases of Dengue in Tonga via Dengue duo Rapid diagnostic kit from 212 samples tested. Dengue serotype-2 has been identified responsible for the outbreak. Source- Tonga MOH

This International Women’s Day, a new EUR18.2 million regional programme to improve gender equality and address violence against women and girls is being announced.

The new Pacific Partnership to End Violence Against Women and Girls (Pacific Partnership) brings together governments, civil society organisations, communities and other partners to promote gender equality, prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG), and increase access to quality response services for survivors.

The United Nations Pacific Strategy (UNPS) 2018-2022 is a five year strategic framework that outlines the collective response of the UN system to the development priorities in 14 Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs), namely Cook Islands, Fiji, Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati,

The following syndromes were flagged this week:

• Acute Fever and Rash: Fiji, Tonga, French Polynesia, Vanuatu, FSM

• Prolonged Fever: Vanuatu

Other Updates:

Dengue:

• Ongoing dengue situation in Vanuatu with 86 suspected cases as of 27th February, 2018. Of these cases, 25 confirmed cases by NS1 or IgM and samples and pending PCR and Serotyping at Institute Pasteur in New Caledonia (IPNC). For further details please refer to Sit Rep posted by Ms Wendy Williams, MoH Vanuatu earlier today.

The following syndromes were flagged this week.

• Acute Fever and Rash: Fiji, Northern Marianna Islands, FSM, Marshalls

• Dengue-like Illness: Vanuatu

• Prolonged Fever: Kiribati

Other Update:

Dengue:

• Vanuatu has reported increase in Dengue like illness cases. As of 16th February there were reported 6 suspected cases and 4 cases testing positive. Serotype pending further testing to Institute Pasteur in New Caledonia (IPNC). Source : Ms Wendy Williams, Vanuatu Ministry of Health