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Category: Pacific health

  • Pacific ‘shock’ as diluted UN women’s declaration ditches reproductive rights

    By Sera Sefeti and Stefan Armbruster of BenarNews

    Pacific delegates have been left “shocked” by the omission of sexual and reproductive health rights from the key declaration of the 69th UN Commission on the Status of Women meeting in New York.

    This year CSW69 will review and assess the implementation of the 1995 Beijing Declaration, the UN’s blueprint for gender equality and rights for women and girls.

    The meeting’s political declaration adopted on Tuesday reaffirmed the UN member states’ commitment to the rights, equality and empowerment of all women and girls.

    It was the product of a month of closed-door negotiations during which a small number of countries, reportedly including the U.S. and Russia, were accused of diluting the declaration’s final text.

    The Beijing Declaration three decades ago mentioned reproductive rights 50 times, unlike this year’s eight-page political declaration.

    “It is shocking. Thirty years after Beijing, not one mention of sexual and reproductive health and rights,” Pacific delegate and women’s advocate Noelene Nabulivou from Fiji told BenarNews.

    “The core of gender justice and human rights lies in the ability to make substantive decisions over one’s body, health and sexual decision making.

    “We knew that in 1995, we know it now, we will not let anyone take SRHR away, we are not going back.”

    Common sentiment
    It is a common sentiment among the about 100 Pacific participants at the largest annual gathering on women’s rights that attracts thousands of delegates from around the world.

    “This is a major omission, especially given the current conditions in several (Pacific) states and the wider pushback and regression on women’s human rights,” Fiji-based DIVA for Equality representative Viva Tatawaqa told BenarNews from New YorK.

    Tatawaqa said that SRHR was included in the second version of the political declaration but was later removed due to “lack of consensus” and “trade-offs in language.”

    “We will not let everyone ignore this omission, whatever reason was given for the trade-off,” she said.

    20250311 UN CSW Guterres EDIT.jpg
    UN Secretary-General António Guterres at the CSW69 town hall meeting with civil society on Tuesday. Image: Evan Schneider/UN Photo/BenarNews

    The Pacific Community’s latest survey of SRHR in the region reported progress had been made but significant challenges remain.

    It highlighted an urgent need to address extreme rates of gender-based violence, low contraceptive use (below 50% in the region), lack of confidentiality in health services and hyperendemic levels of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), which all fall under the SRHR banner.

    Ten Pacific Island countries submitted detailed Beijing+30 National Reports to CSW69.

    Anti-abortion alliance
    Opposition to SRHR has come from 39 countries through their membership of the anti-abortion Geneva Consensus Declaration, an alliance founded in 2020. Their ranks include this year’s CSW69 chair Saudi Arabia, Russia, Hungary, Egypt, Kenya, Indonesia and the U.S. under both Trump administrations, along with predominantly African and Middle East countries.

    “During negotiations, certain states including the USA and Argentina, attempted to challenge even the most basic and accepted terms around gender and gender equality,” Amnesty said in a statement after the declaration.

    “The text comes amid mounting threats to sexual and reproductive rights, including increased efforts, led by conservative groups, to roll back on access to contraception, abortion, comprehensive sexuality education, and gender-affirming care across the world,” adding the termination of USAID had compounded the situation.

    The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) confirmed in February that the US, the UN’s biggest donor, had cut US$377 million in funding for reproductive and sexual health programmes and warned of “devastating impacts.”

    Since coming to office, President Donald Trump has also reinstated the Global Gag Rule, prohibiting foreign recipients of U.S. aid from providing or discussing abortions.

    20250311 UN CSW town hall guterres.jpg
    Meeting between civil society groups and the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in the general assembly hall at the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women in New York on Tuesday. Image: Evan Schneider/UN Photo/BenarNews

    In his opening address to the CSW69, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres issued a dire warning on progress on gender equality across the world.

    ‘Poison of patriachy’
    “The poison of patriarchy is back, and it is back with a vengeance, slamming the brakes on action, tearing up progress, and mutating into new and dangerous forms,” he said, without singling out any countries or individuals.

    “The masters of misogyny are gaining strength,” Guterres said, denouncing the “bile” women faced online.

    He warned at the current rate it would take 137 years to lift all women out of poverty, calling on all nations to commit to the “promise of Beijing”.

    The CSW was established days after the inaugural UN meetings in 1946, with a focus on prioritising women’s political, economic and social rights.

    CSW was instrumental in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and the Beijing Declaration.

    One of the declaration’s stated goals is to “enhance women’s sexual and reproductive health and education”, the absence of which would have “a profound impact on women and men.”

    The 1995 Beijing Platform for Action identified 12 key areas needing urgent attention — including poverty, education, health, violence — and laid out pathways to achieve change, while noting it would take substantial resources and financing.

    This year’s political declaration came just days after International Women’s Day, when UN Pacific released a joint statement singled out rises in adolescent birth rates and child marriage, exacerbating challenges related to health, education, and long-term well-being of women in the region.

    Gender-based violence
    It also identified the region has among the highest levels of gender-based violence and lowest rates of women’s political representation in the world.

    A comparison of CSW59 in 2015 and the CSW69 political declaration reveal that many of the same challenges, language, and concerns persist.

    Guterres in his address offered “antidote is action” to address the immense gaps.

    Pacific Women Mediators Network coordinator Sharon Bhagwan-Rolls told BenarNews much of that action in the Pacific had been led by women.

    “The inclusion of climate justice and the women, peace, and security agenda in the Beijing+30 Action Plan is a reminder of the intersectional and intergenerational work that has continued,” she said.

    “This work has been forged through women-led networks and coalitions like the Pacific Women Mediators Network and the Pacific Island Feminist Alliance for Climate Justice, which align with the Blue Pacific Strategy and the Revitalised Pacific Leaders Gender Equality Declaration.”

    Republished from BenarNews with permission.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • NZ bowel cancer screening changes ‘driven by ideology, not facts’

    By Susana Leiataua, RNZ National presenter

    The Aotearoa New Zealand government is being accused of sacrificing peoples’ lives for ideology by delaying bowel cancer screening for Māori and Pacific people from 50 to 58.

    Pacific doctors say Health Minister Simeon Brown’s decision to make bowel screening free at the universal age of 58 for all New Zealanders goes against research data and evidence.

    Sir Collin Tukuitonga, co-director of the Centre for Pacific and Global Health at Auckland University, said the policy change for the bowel cancer screening age was unsophisticated and deeply flawed.

    Bowel screening age for Māori and Pacific people at the age of 50 was based on need, he said.

    “Here is one time where we actually have good data to show that Māori and Pasifika people are at risk of bowel cancer at an earlier age,” Sir Collin said.

    “In other words a clear demonstration of need and yet they’ve gone and dismantled a perfectly data-driven evidence-based policy. It’s a vote grab I think. It’s deeply flawed.”

    When changing the bowel screening age to 58, the Health Minister said the incidence rate of bowel cancer was similar across all population groups in New Zealand, but Sir Collin said it occurred more among Māori and Pacific people.

    Rate of Pacific occurrence higher
    “For the bowel cancer incidence rate to be the same across ethnic groups, it tells me that for the minority groups the incidence is higher. In other words the rate of occurrence in Māori and Pacific adults is higher.

    “That’s why you end up with the comparable occurrence. So clearly as I say this is a policy that is deeply flawed, relatively unsophisticated, driven by ideology not facts or evidence.”

    Otago University research fellow and lecturer Dr Viliami Puloka said the government was putting business ahead of thousands of people’s lives by removing the earlier bowel screen age of 50 for Māori and Pacific people.

    Early detection was the marker by which the bowel screening programme’s strength was measured, he said.

    “Eight years — as they’re proposing for us to wait — by then we may not be able to do anything. We’ll just tell them to ‘Prepare your funeral because you’re already been developing the cancer for the five, eight years before we find out.’

    “By the time it’s been diagnosed it’s too late for any intervention of any importance to be able to address that and that’s really the issue here.”

    Dr Puloka predicted the new policy would see thousands of New Zealanders not receiving bowel screening, and most would be Māori and Pacific people.

    “It is a matter of fact genetics is important. Social environment is important,” he said.

    ‘Ethnicity definitely major factor’
    “There are a lot of social determinants of health and what might cause one to develop a disease even though they are living in the same country or even if they’re born of the same ethnicity, but ethnicity definitely is a major factor.”

    Bowel Cancer New Zealand board member Rachel Afeaki knows the impact of bowel cancer screening.

    Her mother died of bowel cancer and five years later her father was diagnosed with bowel cancer after a colonoscopy. He survived.

    Afeaki called the government dropping the overall age of screening to 58 a “token move”.

    “In 2023 the Census shows that there’s just over 38,000 Pasifika between the ages of 50 to 59 that were set to benefit from the age extension, and around 30,000 of these people will no longer be eligible as a result of these changes.

    “And Pasifika people face a 63 percent higher mortality rate from bowel cancer than non-Māori non-Pacific people and it’s really important that this government recognises that a one size fits all screening age doesn’t work for a quarter of New Zealanders with Māori and Pacific peoples having been failed by this approach,” Afeaki said.

    Bowel Cancer New Zealand would like to work with the health minister to try and meet the prime minister’s promise to screen from age 45, and screen 10 years earlier for Māori and Pasifika peoples, Afeaki said.

    Timely, quality healthcare
    In his response, Simeon Brown said that as Minister of Health, his priority was ensuring all New Zealanders had access to timely, quality healthcare.

    “That means ensuring we can do the greatest number of treatments and preventions with the resources we have.”

    Bowel cancer risk is similar across all population groups at the same age, he said.

    “Advice from the Ministry of Health shows that by lowering the age of eligibility from 60 to 58 for all New Zealanders, we will be able do an extra 8479 tests and save an additional 176 lives over the next 25 years than would be the case if we only lowered eligibility for Māori and Pasifika from 60 to 50.

    “Our government has also made a significant investment of $19 million over four years to make sure that we are targeting those population groups who have lower rates of screening, like Māori and Pasifika.

    “This is a game changer and will save lives,” Brown said.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Better immunisation coverage needed to prevent Pacific measles, says WHO

    By Caleb Fotheringham, RNZ Pacific journalist

    Surveillance and better vaccine coverage is needed to prevent another measles outbreak in the Pacific, says the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Western Pacific regional director.

    Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala said many children missed out on routine vaccinations — including measles and rubella — during the covid-19 pandemic.

    According to WHO, measles cases jumped by 225 percent — from just over 1400 cases in 2022 to more than 5000 last year — in the Western Pacific region.

    A statement from WHO said the recent increase has been caused by gaps in vaccination coverage and disease surveillance, and people travelling from countries with outbreaks.

    “I think the health workforce were concentrating on covid-19 vaccinations and forgot about routine vaccinations, not only for measles, but other routine immunisation schedule,” Piukala told RNZ Pacific.

    “People are going back to fill the gaps.”

    From 2022 to 2023, 11 countries in the Western Pacific, including Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau and Papua New Guinea, conducted nationwide measles and rubella vaccination campaigns.

    Catch-up successful
    Piukala said the catch-up campaigns had been successful.

    “That will definitely reduce the risk,” he said.

    “No child should get sick or die of measles.”

    In 2019, Samoa had an outbreak that killed 83 people off the back of an outbreak in Auckland.

    WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala
    WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala . . . “No child should get sick or die of measles.” Image: Pierre Albouy/WHO

    Piukala said the deaths made people understand the importance of measles and rubella vaccinations for their children.

    Fiji, Guam, French Polynesia and New Caledonia are the only countries or territories that have local testing capacity for measles, with most nations sending samples to Melbourne for testing.

    Piukala said WHO plans for Samoa, the Cook Islands, and the Solomon Islands to have testing capacity by 2025.

    “The PCR machines that were made available in Pacific Island countries during the covid pandemic can also be used to detect other respiratory viruses, including the flu, LSV, and measles and rubella.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.


    This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report and was authored by APR editor.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Port Moresby hospital morgue full – 257 bodies lie unclaimed

    By Claudia Tally in Port Moresby

    Sixty four compartments of Papua New Guinea’s main mortuary have been out of service since the festive season while a new refrigerated container has also broken down, leaving the hospital looking for room while another 257 dead bodies lie unclaimed.

    Port Moresby General Hospital Chief Executive Officer Dr Paki Molumi confirmed with the Post-Courier that the mortuary is full and that a mass burial is expected in the next three weeks.

    The storage issue at the country’s biggest hospital is recurrent despite promises and assistance from the national government, the National Capital District Commission, the NCD Provincial Health Authority, partner agencies and others.

    The hospital’s Director of Medical Services Dr Koni Sobi said due to the ageing infrastructure, repairing these compartments was an issue.

    “The cooling system of a particular container broke down last week,” he said.

    “A contractor was engaged last week but they are unable to get inside and do repair work until we empty that container of all human bodies and body parts.

    “The 64 compartments’ chiller in the main mortuary building have also been out of service since the festive season. There is a contractor working to repair it. However, it is a very old unit, needs replacing or a major rehabilitation work, which is undergoing this process at the moment,” Dr Sobi said.

    Seven bodies lying in open
    When the Post-Courier visited the mortuary on Wednesday, at least seven bodies were left lying outside in the open waiting for relatives to come forward.

    Meanwhile, the unpleasant smell from the morgue has affected residents nearby.

    Dr Sobi explained that the POMGEN mortuary workers had began shifting the bodies from the container where the cooling system had broken down to five other containers, however the other containers were also full.

    “We have bodies in the morgue since September 2023. Currently there are 257 bodies and body parts.

    “The smell is evident often when the container is opened to remove body or bodies.

    “Preparations for another mass burial have commenced and expected to take place within the next 3 weeks,” he said.

    The hospital is now appealing to relatives to come forward and collect bodies of their loved ones for burial.

    Claudia Tally is a PNG Post-Courier reporter. Republished with permission.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • NZ covid inquiry must look at response to specific communities, Pasifika health leader says

    RNZ News

    A Pasifika health leader hopes the Royal Commission into the Covid-19 pandemic will look into the equity of the response and resource allocation.

    Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern yesterday announced a Royal Commission into the government’s covid-19 response which will be chaired by Professor Tony Blakely, an epidemiologist working at the University of Melbourne.

    He is joined by former National Party MP Hekia Parata, and the previous secretary to Treasury, John Whitehead, as commissioners.

    Pasifika Futures chief executive Debbie Sorensen said Pasifika people were essentially left to form their own response during the earlier stages of the pandemic.

    That was despite Pasifika people working a large proportion of jobs in MIQ facilities and at the airport and other front line locations, she said.

    Many affected Pacific families experienced a great deal of hardship, she said.

    It was important for the inquiry to look at the covid-19 response in regards to specific communities, she said.

    Slowness of response
    “We’re really clear that equity in the response and in the resource allocation is an important consideration.”

    One issue was the slowness of the government’s response to both Pacific and Māori communities during the height of the pandemic, she said.

    “Advice was provided to the government, you know cabinet papers provided advice on specific responses for our communities and that advice was ignored.”

    An important aspect of the inquiry should be reviewing how that advice was given to the government, its response to it and how the government’s sought more information, she said.

    The inquiry’s initial scope appeared to be very narrow, but it could be broadened as it went along, Sorensen said.

    “The impact on mental health and the ongoing economic burden for our communities is immense — you know we have a whole generation of young people who have not continued their education because they were required to go in to work.”

    Sorensen said often young people had to work because they were the only person in their family who had a job at that time due to covid-19.

    Mental health demand
    The pandemic also increased demand for mental health services which were already under pressure, she said.

    Anyone who was unwell unlikely to be able to get an appointment within six to eight months which was shameful, she said.

    Sorensen would have preferred the inquiry had been announced earlier, but it was an opportunity to better prepare for the future, she said.

    But Te Aka Whai Ora, the Māori Health Authority, chief medical officer Dr Rawiri McKree Jansen told Morning Report he had some concerns that the probe into the covid-19 response was coming too soon to gain a full picture.

    The pandemic was ongoing and starting the inquiry so early may obstruct a complete view of it, he said.

    “I understand that there’s people champing at the bit and [saying] we should’ve done it before but it’s very difficult to do that and adequately learn the lessons.”

    Understanding how to get a proper pandemic response was in everyone’s interest, but the pandemic was now still in its third wave, he said.

    About to begin
    Nevertheless, the inquiry was about to get underway and it could make a large contribution if it was done well, he said.

    “I’m sure there will be many Māori communities that want to have voice in the inquiry and you know contribute to a better understanding of how we can manage pandemics really well.

    “We’ve had pandemics before and they’ve been absolutely tragic. We’ve got this pandemic and the outcome for us is something like two to two-and-a-half times the rate of hospitalisations and deaths, so Māori communities are fundamentally very interested in bedding in the learnings that we’ve achieved in the pandemic.”

    Dr Jansen hoped the inquiry would provide enduring information about managing pandemics with a very clear focus on Māori and how to support the best outcomes for the Māori population.

    Inquiry’s goal next pandemic
    The head of the Royal Commission said the review needed to put New Zealand in better position to respond next time a pandemic hits.

    Professor Blakely said the breadth of experience and skills of the commissioners was welcome, and would help them to cover the wide scope of the Inquiry, ranging from the health response and legislative decisions, to the economic response.

    Reviewing the response to the pandemic was a big job, he said.

    “There’s already 75 reports done so far, I think about 1700 recommendations from those reports, New Zealand’s not the only country that’s been affected by this cause it’s a global epidemic, so there’s lots of other reports.”

    The inquiry panel would have to sit at the top of all that work that had already been done “and pull it altogether from the perspective of Aotearoa New Zealand and what would help best there.

    The inquiry needed to make New Zealand was prepared for a pandemic with good testing, good contact tracing and good tools that the Reserve Bank could use to support citizens in the time of a pandemic, Professor Blakely said.

    “Our job is to try and create a situation where those tools are as good as possible, there’s frameworks to use when you’ve entered another pandemic, which will occur at some stage we just don’t know when.”

    Professor Blakely said he was flying to New Zealand next week and would meet with Hekia Parata and John Whitehead to start thinking about the shape of the inquiry going forward.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ. 

  • Marshall Islands covid spread demonstrates super variant

    By Giff Johnson, Marshall Islands Journal editor and RNZ Pacific correspondent in Majuro

    The Marshall Islands is a live demonstration that the omicron BA.5 variant is the most contagious covid variant yet to appear.

    In the first five days of the outbreak in the Marshall Islands, more than 10 percent of the population in Majuro, the capital, has tested positive, reports the Ministry of Health and Human Services.

    From initial confirmation of a handful of positive cases in the community on August 8, the number of positive cases skyrocketed to the one-day total of 1064 testing positive on Saturday, August 13, at the three community-based “alternative care sites” established to test and treat local residents.

    This brings Majuro’s total in the wake of the outbreak to more than 2000 cases in a population estimated at 20,000. There were nine early hospitalisations, with most reported to be recovered by Sunday.

    President David Kabua on Friday signed a proclamation of a “State of Health Disaster,” which outlines duties of all ministries and government agencies to respond.

    It also gives the government the power to access emergency funding for the response to the initial outbreak.

    Health authorities reported two deaths in the first week — both men. The first was a 23-year-old man, the second a 69-year-old.

    Both pronounced dead
    They were both pronounced dead on arrival at Majuro Hospital’s emergency room, Health officials said. Their vaccine status was not announced.

    Majuro experienced a chaotic first couple of days as alternative care sites (ACS) were rolled out at two local schools and at an outdoor sports court, with thousands of islanders crowding in to get tested.

    By Friday the influx of hundreds of volunteers to support the Ministry of Health and Human Service in managing the flow of people led to improvements in the service.

    “What we are seeing at these sites is what we expected, the ACS sites are getting better and more organised as we go along,” said Health Secretary Jack Niedenthal Sunday.

    “Much of the chaos is beginning to die down, though it is still there for sure, but this will continue to get better.”

    Spread was not contained to Majuro Atoll, the capital. Within a day of the initial confirmation of positive cases in the Majuro community last Monday, the first case was identified on Ebeye, the densely populated community next door to the US Army’s Reagan Test Site at Kwajalein Atoll.

    In addition, several isolated outer atolls at week’s end were reporting multiple residents with covid-like symptoms.

    All remote island flights suspended
    All flights on Air Marshall Islands and all government ships to remote islands were suspended August 9 in an effort to contain the spread. But travellers from the previous week to remote islands unwittingly caused the spread.

    August 12, a special Air Marshall Islands flight took a health team to Wotje Atoll, confirming multiple positive cases, training the local health aide to conduct further testing, and leaving a supply of PaxLovid and other therapeutic medicines for islanders, according to health officials.

    Health teams were attempting to visit other remote islands for similar follow up Sunday, but all AMI pilots reportedly tested positive, putting flights in limbo.

    Although the government did not require a lockdown, most churches cancelled in-person services Sunday and the one main road in the capital atoll was unusually quiet as people appeared to be staying home.

    Restaurants also saw the number of customers decline dramatically, although most continued to see ongoing demand for takeout meals.

    “We at the Ministry of Health and Human Services are very proud of the response that has come in from all corners of our country to help us deal with the health crisis,” said Niedenthal.

    The ministry struggled in the initial phase of the outbreak with more than 200 of its staff, including many doctors and nurses, testing positive for covid — many exposed before they knew it was circulating in the community.

    Covid-free success
    Until last week the Marshall Islands had successfully employed some of the world’s strictest quarantine rules for people entering the North Pacific nation. This had kept it covid-free for the first two-and-a-half-years of the covid pandemic.

    A reduction of quarantine time in recent weeks, coupled with unprecedented numbers of people coming in through the managed quarantine process is suspected to be the cause of the outbreak.

    The government had earlier announced it was going to eliminate the managed quarantine requirement and open the borders on the October 1.

    “As expected, the outbreak continues to gain strength,” Niedenthal said on Sunday.

    “We had over 1000 cases in Majuro yesterday, almost double from the previous day. About 75 percent of the people we test are positive, which is an incredibly high positivity rate.”

    A security officer controls the flow of islanders into one of several community-based alternative care sites established by the Ministry of Health and Human Services to test and treat people in the wake of the Covid outbreak that started August 8.
    A security officer controls the flow of islanders into one of several community-based alternative care sites established by the Ministry of Health and Human Services. Image: Wilmer Joel/RNZ Pacific

    Outbreak escalating
    Last week, as the outbreak was escalating, Majuro traditional leaders sent a letter to President Kabua calling for the borders to be closed and opposing the announcement that medical teams arriving this week would not be required to quarantine.

    The medical surge support teams are from the US Centers for Disease Control and other agencies. Niedenthal emphasised the importance for delivering services to the public by these medical professionals.

    He described these as “boots on the ground medical support professionals” and said they would be tested on arrival and then sent right into the field to support ongoing services by local Health authorities.

    “As a country we have moved from prevention to mitigation because we are now fighting this disease,” he said.

    “The days of quarantine upon arrival are now over. I know some people are nervous about this, but we at the Ministry of Health are not and we are the ones on the frontline,” Niedenthal said.

    “Please respect these public health decisions. We knew this would have to be a fast shift in strategy that would trouble some people because we had been working so hard (and) successfully to prevent the disease from coming into the Marshall Islands.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

  • Pasifika wāhine launching new Waikato Pan Pacific health hub

    By Aden Miles Morunga, Local Democracy Reporter

    “It’s exciting to know that I am involved in making history and that my contribution will leave a legacy for my tupuna and mokopuna to be proud of.”

    The words of Waikato Pasifika health advocate Mareta Matenga, who is helping lead a new Pan Pacific Community Hub in Hamilton.

    “I am supporting the development of an integrated wellbeing service delivery model which will see different K’aute Pasifika-owned entities operating seamlessly in the same space,” Matenga said.

    Local Democracy Reporting
    LOCAL DEMOCRACY REPORTING

    “This involves me supporting Leaupepe Rachel Karalus, K’aute Pasifika CEO, to support the development of this model, by working alongside other consultants who are also working on the development of the hub.

    “My role is specific to the actual services that will work out of the new hub and preparing the team to transition well to the hub.”

    The Pan Pacific Community Hub will include an integrated health centre, a stand-alone early learning facility and an open fale-style community space.

    The fale is expected to open in September, followed by the childcare and early learning centre in November. The wellbeing component is set to open early next year.

    Free or low cost services
    The hub is expected to offer free or low cost services in health, social, employment, housing and education.

    K’aute Pasifika said the hub would enable the trust to better support the holistic wellbeing of families using Pacific models of care.

    It will also increase connectedness and the sense of identity, and celebrate and support academic, sporting, creative and leadership potential and achievements.

    Born and raised in Kirikiriroa (Hamilton), Matenga’s parents Ere (nee Marsters, Pamati Island) and the late George Ford (Vaipae, Aitutaki Island), together with her eight siblings have dedicated their lives to serving the Hamilton Cook Island Community and their Pacific Islands Presbyterian faith community.

    Matenga is well-known within the Waikato community and has more than 20 years’ experience working in community development and community-led approaches.

    “I remember being involved over the years in many community fono to dream and discuss how a place like the Pan Pacific Community Hub will help our community thrive and to celebrate our Pacific-ness in Kirikiriroa,” she said.

    Matenga said it was exciting to be involved in creating history and that her contribution would leave a legacy for her tupuna and mokopuna.

    Strong community experience
    K’aute Pasifika chief executive Rachel Karalus said Matenga’s strong community experience and connections were an asset to the organisation and the Waikato community.

    “Mareta is a well-known and respected community leader who has dedicated herself to support not only her Cook Island community but all the communities in the Waikato,” she said.

    “Mareta’s extensive experience in community engagement, community development and planning large scale projects and events will be invaluable to the development of the Wellbeing Service Delivery Model, that will sit inside and across the Pan Pacific Community Hub.”

    Matenga said she was also grateful for the 20 years she had worked at the Hamilton City Council, and the vast experiences working with the Waikato community.

    “I’m a proud Cook Islander and love knowing that my community support me, not only in the city of Hamilton, region of Waikato, Nation of Aotearoa, but also throughout the world.”

    Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Thousands in Pape’ete mark 56th anniversary of first Moruroa test

    RNZ Pacific

    French Polynesia’s nuclear test veterans have called for July 2 to be made a public holiday to remember the impact of France’s nuclear weapons tests on the local population.

    The call was made as more than 2000 people gathered in the Tahitian capital Pape’ete to mark the 56th anniversary of the first test at Moruroa Atoll, which is still a French military no-go zone.

    The annual commemoration was organised by Moruroa e Tatou and Association 193, whose name refers to the number of atomic tests carried out over three decades.

    The groups keep demanding that France pay compensation for those affected by the tests.

    Since 1995, the local health system has paid out US$800 million to treat a total of 10,000 people suffering from any of the 23 cancers recognised by law as being the result of radiation.

    Picture taken in 1971, showing a nuclear explosion in Moruroa atoll.
    An atmospheric nuclear explosion at Moruroa atoll in 1971. Image: RNZ/AFP

    The head of Moruroa e tatou, Hiro Tefaarere, described the tests as France’s largest case of “genocide”.

    The head of the Māohi Protestant Church, Francois Pihaatae, said the truth about the tests begins to be known.

    After ending the tests in 1996, France continued to claim until 2009 that none of the tests had any negative effect on French Polynesians’ health.

    A compensation law was adopted in 2010 and despite its revision, most claims have failed.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    View of the advanced recording base PEA "Denise" on Moruroa atoll, where French forces have conducted nuclear weapon tests until 1996.
    The debris of the nuclear testing monitoring bunker Denise on Moruroa Atoll … still a French military no-go zone. Image: RNZ/AFP

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • ‘Calm’ health advocate among 18 Pasifika recognised in Queen’s Birthday Honours

    By Susana Suisuiki, RNZ Pacific journalist, and Eleisha Foon, journalist

    Pacific health advocate and champion Dr Collin Fonotau Tukuitonga heads the list of Pacific recipients in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for 2022.

    This year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours coincide with the celebrations of Queen Elizabeth’s 70 years as monarch, so have been renamed the Queen’s Birthday and Platinum Jubilee Honours.

    Associate Professor Tukuitonga, a Niuean, and the the inaugural Associate Dean Pacific and associate professor of public health in the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, has received the Knights Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Pacific and public health.

    “Over the past two years he has been a calm and steady voice for immunisation in the Pacific,” said Pacific Peoples Minister Aupito William Sio.

    Sir Collin joins 17 other Pacific people also recognised for their contributions to health, education, sport, the arts and many other sectors.

    Sir Collin has been active in the covid-19 response information, particularly for the Pasifika community.

    He said he was humbled to have been nominated.

    “I wasn’t aware that this was happening, so it’s a humbling experience,” he said.

    “I’m thankful to be acknowledged, I should also say that it’s not just myself, I think it’s an acknowledgement of all the people involved and I’m just fortunate to have been nominated — there are lots of people in our community who do the work day and day out.”

    Sir Collin plans on celebrating his achievement with his children but hopes to be able to visit Niue soon.

    Sports
    Leaupepe Luteru Ross Poutoa Lote-Taylor has also been honoured for services to cricket and Pacific communities.

    Leaupepe retired from cricket and signed off as New Zealand’s most successful test batsman, with 7683 runs including 19 centuries from 112 matches between 2007 and 2022, with a batting average of 44.66 runs.

    “I’ve been fortunate enough to play cricket for the Black Caps for several years and thoroughly enjoyed it, and being able to help others both on and off the field,” he said.

    Ross Taylor and family after his final test for the Black Caps
    Ross Taylor and family after his final test for the Black Caps … the second test against Bangladesh at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on 11 January 2022. Image: RNZ/Photosport

    Leaupepe said contributing to the Pacific community is something he wants to continue doing.

    “I’m a proud Kiwi and I’m a proud Samoan as well. I’ve been fortunate to have the platform to give back throughout my career and now that I’m retired I look forward to giving back more.”

    Having received numerous awards throughout his cricket career, Leaupepe said being honoured by the Queen was “extra special”.

    “As a cricketer, you want to do your best to your ability but to be recognised like this — it’s not just for me, it’s my teammates who have helped me out and my family and friends who sacrificed a lot for me.”

    Arts
    New Zealand-born Samoan opera singer Jonathan Lemalu is in disbelief after being made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to opera.

    Lemalu is a Grammy Award-winning bass-baritone who has been performing internationally for more than 20 years.

    He said it was a complete surprise to be awarded the honour.

    Bass Jonathan Lemalu and Virtuoso Strings rehearse
    Bass Jonathan Lemalu and Virtuoso Strings rehearse. Image: RNZ/Ana Tovey

    “I honestly didn’t believe it. I thought it was a joke,” Lemalu said.

    “Hilarious in a way because it didn’t sound like something that would be happening to me. Mum got a Queen’s Honours in 2006 for services to the Pacific community. It felt cool in a way to follow in her footsteps.”

    Education
    Mangere College Deputy Principal Melegalenuu Ah Sam was also in shock when she found out she was on the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2022 list.

    Melegalenu’u Ah Sam has become a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Pacific language education.

    Beginning in the mid-1990s, Ah Sam established Samoan language teaching at the college, later driving the addition of Cook Islands Māori and Lea Faka-Tonga.

    She led the establishment of the Languages ‘L Block’ at the college in 2012, as a hub for Māori and Pacific learning in language and culture.

    One of the Samoan stage coordinators, Melegalenuu Ah Sam.
    Melegalenuu Ah Sam … has become a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Pacific language education. Image: Mabel Muller/RNZ

    “I paused — and then I read the email again,” Ah Sam said.

    “And then I just said a short prayer. I feel humbled, I just want to thank the people that recognised the work that myself and my colleagues and everyone else in the education sector are doing.

    “For me personally I’m not expecting any rewards, I’m not expecting anything like this, I do it because I love working in education and I love teaching. So to be nominated is a privilege and an honour.”

    Ah Sam said growing up in Samoa, her parents were her best role models.

    “My parents played a huge part in my life. They made sure that we strived to be the best we can be — my mother was a nurse, and my dad was a Samoan judge,” she said.

    “I didn’t feel that I wanted to get into nursing, but they allowed me to come to New Zealand on a scholarship and they instilled in my sisters and brothers the importance of achievement and success in whatever field.”

    Other Pasifika people recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for 2022:

    • Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit: Bridget Snedden, for services to people with learning disabilities
    • Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit: Lesi Atoni, for services to the Tokelau community
    • Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit: Sandra Borland, for services to nursing and the Pacific community
    • Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit: Matthew (Mataio) Brown, for services to mental health and the prevention of family violence
    • Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit: Siaosi Fa’alogo, for services to the New Zealand police and the community
    • Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit: Dr Linita Manu’atu, for services to Pacific education and the Tongan community
    • Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit: Tolupene Peau, for services to the Tokelau community
    • Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit: Bill Urale, for services to music and the community
    • Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit: Kiriovea Jasmin McSweeney, for services to the film industry
    • Queen’s Service Medal: Gabrielle-Sisifo Makisi, for services to Pacific communities and education
    • Queen’s Service Medal: Reverend Salafai Mika, for services to church ministry and the Samoan community
    • Queen’s Service Medal: Reverend Hiueni Nuku, for services to Tongan and Pacific communities
    • Queen’s Service Medal: Vaipou Saluni, for services to education and the Pacific community
    • Queen’s Service Medal: Luther Toloa, for services to the Pacific community

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Pacific services receive $196m boost in NZ Budget – new RNZ radio boost

    RNZ Pacific

    A total of NZ$196 million has been set aside for Pacific services in Aotearoa New Zealand in this year’s Budget.

    A big chunk of that — $76 million will go on Pacific health services.

    Finance Minister Grant Robertson said the cash injection would be used to support Pacific health providers, to improve infrastructure, fund a targeted diabetes prevention and management programme and prepare for system reform.

    Operating funds to the tune of $47 million have also been announced for Pacific education and employment initiatives.

    The funds would be used to support Pacific science, technology, engineering, arts and maths opportunities, Robertson said.

    An initial $49 million has been set aside for building 300 houses for Pacific people in eastern Porirua over the next decade.

    The government’s pledge to deliver an historical account of the Dawn Raids — a crackdown on mostly Pacific migrants to New Zealand in the 1970s — receives $13.7m in funding.

    The Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio said the priorities in this year’s Budget were in line with its Pacific Wellbeing Strategy.

    “This strategy is aimed at lifting Pacific wellbeing and aspirations in health, housing, education, business, employment, incomes, leadership, Pacific arts, sports, music and STEAM career pathways,” he said.

    Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio
    Minister for Pacific Peoples Aupito William Sio … “This strategy is aimed at lifting Pacific wellbeing and aspirations in health, housing, education, business, employment, incomes, leadership, Pacific arts, sports, music and STEAM career pathways.” Image: Samuel Rillstone/RNZ

    Dawn Raids account, home build project included in Pacific package
    “This government is committed to delivering on its Dawn Raids apology package in this Budget as well,” Aupito said.

    “The package will give greater public understanding of what Dawn Raids means to our nation and to enable the Teu le Va — to help restore harmonious relationships of mana and dignity, and empower our young people especially to be resilient, confident and vibrant.”

    Included in the Budget for New Zealand’s Pacific community:

    • A package to build up to 300 homes over the next 10 years for Pacific families in Eastern Porirua, with initial funding of $49m in the forecast period.
    • $13.7 million to implement the government’s commitment to deliver a Dawn Raids historical account.
    • $49.9 million for the Pacific Provider Development Fund, to support Pacific providers to adapt their models of care into the new health system.
    • $20 million to implement a diabetes prevention and treatment programme for targeted Pacific communities in South Auckland.
    • $8 million boost to continue the delivery of Tupu Aotearoa, which enables the delivery of personalised Pacific employment and training services.
    • $15.5 million investment into Pacific economic development, which aims to meet community demand for services to support “shovel-ready” Pacific businesses and social enterprises across New Zealand.
    • $1.6 million to maintain the Pacific Work Connect Programme which supports the continuation of a Pacific migrant support service.
    • $18.3 million boost to the Toloa Science, Technology, Education, Arts and Mathematics programme. This initiative provides opportunities across Pacific peoples journeys through education and employment.
    • $2 million to maintain and grow the Tulī Takes Flight and Pacific Education Foundation Scholarships, to Pacific education scholarships to address education system inequities.
    • $13 million to support the growth of the Pacific bilingual and immersion schooling workforce and the retention of the current workforce.
    • Up to $5 million of reprioritised funding over four years to fund further Professional Learning and Development (PLD) focussed on Tapasā: cultural competencies for teachers of Pacific learners.

    New transmitter for RNZ Pacific
    The government has also announced $4.4 million for RNZ Pacific to buy a new transmitter to broadcast news across the Pacific.

    Described as “critical infrastructure”, the transmitter is among plans for a new public media entity which is set to start operating next year.

    Broadcasting Minister Kris Faafoi said the funding of the media entity would ensure New Zealanders could continue to access quality local content and trusted news.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Covid-19 in the Pacific – Nauru reports first two cases in quarantine

    RNZ Pacific

    A roundup today of the covid-19 pandemic status around the Pacific.

    Nauru
    President Lionel Aingimea has announced that Nauru has recorded its first two covid-19 cases, which were detected in quarantine.

    In a public address, the President assured the community that the two cases were safely contained in quarantine. As such, Nauru remained safe and there was no cause for anyone to panic.

    The two cases both travelled on the same flight, from Brisbane on March 31.

    “Both people are well and do not have any symptoms and are being cared for by the medical team in the covid ward,” President Aingimea said.

    Two other people were also being quarantined in the Covid Ward. One of them is the spouse of one of the cases, and they had travelled together.

    The hospital laboratory has detected low levels of virus in this person which appeared to be decreasing.

    The fourth person had a borderline result on April 1. They were put in isolation in the Acute Ward. This person tested negative yesterday but will remain under observation for now.

    Samoa
    Samoa’s Ministry of Health has confirmed 245 new community cases in a 24 hour period.

    The ministry said 583 people had recovered and 1493 remained active cases.

    Upolu island still has the majority of cases with 97 percent.

    The ministry also said that covid-19 infections were significantly higher among those aged from 15 to 35, but infections among children aged 4 and below were also increasing.

    Four new border cases were recorded on a flight from New Zealand on Tuesday.

    According to the ministry, the community cases were of the BA1 sub lineage of the omicron covid variant.

    Samoa also recorded its first covid-related death this week.

    Kiribati
    The Kiribati government has extended its curfew for another four weeks.

    The Office of the President said the new curfew order was intended for South Tarawa, Betio, Buota, North Tarawa, Abaiang, Marakei, Maiana, Aranuka and Abemama.

    Travel from Tarawa to the covid-free outer islands will also resume, but with strict safety procedures in place.

    The government has also allowed church services to resume, but face masks will be mandatory.

    A Parliament session will be convened, as planned, and gatherings outdoors remain limited to 20 people.

    According to the WHO, Kiribati has had 3066 cases in total and 13 covid-related deaths.

    Tonga
    Tonga’s lockdown restrictions are easing. Restaurants and food outlets are opening for the first time in two weeks, but with only takeaway options allowed.

    According to new lockdown rules introduced by Tonga’s government, businesses can operate between 5am to 8pm until Monday.

    Since March 20 most Tongan businesses, including all shops and gas stations, had only been allowed to open on Saturdays.

    However, bars and liquor stores will still be prohibited from opening.

    The owner of the Billfish Restaurant and Bar in Nuku’alofa, Robert Sullivan, said that bars had been totally ignored.

    “Bars have not even been mentioned. We’ve closed since February 2. So bars have not been open since then in Tonga, and any bars and all their employees will be struggling quite a lot right now because we still have bills, we still have rents, we still have the products that we’ve already purchased,” Sullivan said.

    The majority of bars are still trying to pay their staff we’ve what they have, and this can’t continue.”

    Tonga has been in lockdown since February 2 and a border closure has been in effect since the onset of the covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

    The Minister of Health, Saia Piukala, announced this week that six covid-19 deaths had been recorded in the kingdom, and that more than 6000 Tongans had tested positive for covid-19.

    New Caledonia
    A total of 15 new cases of covid-19 have been recorded in New Caledonia, since Thusday afternoon.

    The covid-19 death toll remains at 311.

    Nine people are in hospital and 1 person is in ICU.

    Sixty six percent of the population is vaccinated.

    French Polynesia
    One new covid-19 related death has been recorded in French Polynesia, bringing the total number of deaths since December last year to 11.

    The total number of active cases over the territory is 381, and 123 new cases of covid-19 have been detected.

    Four people are in hospital and one person is in ICU.

    Eighty percent of the population is vaccinated.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Covid trends around the Pacific – deaths, lockdown and easing rules

    RNZ Pacific

    A snapshot of how the covid-19 pandemic is impacting on Pacific nations and territories today:

    Second Covid-19 death in American Samoa
    American Samoa has recorded its second covid-19 related death.

    The death was of a woman in her mid-50s, who also had pre-existing health conditions.

    Over the weekend, 265 cases were recorded, bringing the total number of active covid cases to 2779.

    Seven people are in hospital with covid-19.

    Vanuatu health authorities record 296 new positive cases
    Vanuatu Minister of Health Bruno Leingkon announced that 2577 covid-19 cases have been recorded.

    Five people have been hospitalised for Covid-related illnesses. But there have been no Covid-related deaths in Vanuatu, which remains under alert level 3.

    The lockdown has been extended for a further five days.

    Samoa records more community cases
    Samoa now has a total of 1239 active community cases of covid-19, as another 182 people tested positive.

    The Ministry of Health said 97 percent of community cases are located in Upolu and the remaining 3 percent in Savai’i.

    No community cases have been recorded in the islands of Manono and Apolima Tai.

    The ministry said women make up 58 percent of confirmed community cases and 15 to 35 year olds have recorded the most infections.

    No additional cases have been detected at the border.

    Mandatory testing for travellers to Tahiti to be abolished
    Although another 190 covid-19 cases have been recorded in French Polynesia in the last 48 hours, Tahiti is easing testing requirements for travellers.

    The electronic registration system for travellers, as well as mandatory tests for arriving passengers at Tahiti’s airport, will be abolished from tomorrow.

    The health authorities say six patients are in hospital, but none are in intensive care.

    The number of active cases has continued to decline and is now 516.

    The death toll stands at over 640, with most of the fatalities occuring during last year’s delta variant outbreak.

    Two in intensive care in New Caledonia
    New Caledonia has recorded another 32 covid-19 cases, confirming the trend of declining numbers.

    The latest figure, issued on Friday, brings the total number of cases since September to 60,167.

    Sixteen covid patients have been hospitalised, 2 of whom are in intensive care.

    From today it will be possible to visit patients in hospitals and care centres without a health pass, although masks must still be worn.

    Masks are no longer mandatory to be worn in public, but their continued use is recommended.

    So far the pandemic has claimed 310 lives in New Caledonia, all of them during the delta outbreak in September.

    CNMI drops indoor masking requirement
    The Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas will no longer require people to wear face masks indoors.

    The governor’s Covid-19 Task Force and the Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation (CHCC) have downgraded the US territory’s CDC community level from high to medium.

    Local health authorities have cautioned immunocompromised individuals to still wear masks indoors. The same advice stands for people whose family members are immunocompromised.

    “In Community Level Medium, people who are considered immunocompromised or at high risk for severe illness should talk to their healthcare provider about whether they need to wear a mask and take other precautions. Also, people who live with or have social contact with immunocompromised individuals should wear a mask when indoors with them,” the CHCC said in a statement.

    The CHCC also said it would continue to require visitors and clinic patients to wear masks in patient-serving areas.

    Last Thursday, the task force and CHCC also confirmed the CNMI’s 33rd Covid-19-related death.

    Twenty six additional cases have been recorded, bringing the CNMI total to 11,022 cases since March 28, 2020.

    All 26 cases were identified on March 24, 2022. As of March 25, 2022, three individuals have been hospitalised from covid-19.

  • Iwi leader warns Māori to take extreme care under ‘dangerous’ new covid-19 strategy

    By Moana Ellis of Local Democracy Reporting

    A Whanganui iwi leader says the Aotearoa New Zealand government’s decision to ease covid-19 measures at this time is a disgrace and shocking.

    He is warning Māori to stay vigilant against omicron and prepare for more to come.

    Tūpoho chair Ken Mair says Māori must continue to be extremely careful and take precautions against covid-19, despite the government’s new strategy to begin living with the virus.

    Local Democracy Reporting
    LOCAL DEMOCRACY REPORTING

    Yesterday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said gathering limits would ease before the weekend, with no limit for outside venues and gatherings of up to 200 allowed inside.

    Vaccine passes and scanning would no longer be needed from April 4, and mandates would be scrapped for all except those in the health and aged care sectors, Corrections and at the border.

    But Mair said the country was far from out of the woods, as shown by the number of daily covid-19 cases being reported — with 11 new deaths and 18,423 infections.

    “It just seems crazy that the government are putting in place this strategy right now, at the worst time in regard to the high numbers of omicron within our community. It’s extremely dangerous,” Mair said.

    Radio NZ News reports that Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said Māori had the highest rate of community cases of covid-19, overtaking Pacific people at 28 per 1000. Rates for NZ European and Asian ethic groups is 21 per 1000.

    ‘Where’s the Māori lens?’
    “Where’s the Māori lens over this? Certainly, within our community there are hundreds [of cases] and there are a number in hospital.

    “I just can’t understand a strategy where there hasn’t been any real analysis with substance in regard to the impact upon iwi, hapū and Māori, noting that we’re an extremely vulnerable community in the context of respiratory and asthma ailments.”

    Mair said he understood some Māori leaders had been in discussion with the government and had made recommendations for the new strategy, but it appeared they had been ignored.

    “I’ve been deeply concerned over the last couple of months where there doesn’t appear to be a strong Māori voice coming through or anything that might indicate that the government have a clear understanding of the ramifications of their decision around the covid strategy.

    “This is a classic example — decisions being made right in the midst of cases going up, new variants around the corner, without understanding the impact and implications for Māori. I just think that’s a disgrace and shocking.”

    Mair said he thought the strategy had been politicised, with Labour’s polling and political pressure the key factors.

    “What motivates you to put in place an extremely dangerous strategy? You can only assume the motivation’s around political expediency and the impact upon economic wellbeing, without having the health lens driving your decision making.

    Risk for vulnerable ignored
    “The decisions by the prime minister and the government clearly have not taken into account the real vulnerability of Māori, and I think Māori, iwi and hapū have to be extremely careful in this precarious time.”

    Yesterday, the prime minister said restrictions were being eased because it was safe to do so. Mair said this ignored the risk that remained for the vulnerable and sent the wrong message.

    “I think because of the government’s strategy, people are saying things like: well, we’re going to get it anyway, it doesn’t matter, let’s get on with it and get back to normality as quickly as possible.

    “The problem with those comments, of course, is the vulnerability of our Māori community, hapū and iwi is extremely high.

    “I think our community in general is beginning to take a kind of defeatist approach and we should be, I think, extremely careful and vigilant in regard to dealing with this omicron.

    “I have no doubt in my mind there’ll be more variants around the corner and we should always be prepared.”

    Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air. Asia Pacific Report is a community partner.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Samoa extends lockdown as spread of covid-19 cases jumps to 467

    RNZ Pacific

    The Samoa government has extended its alert level three lockdown for another two weeks, due to the rapid spread of the covid-19 in the community.

    There are 467 confirmed covid-19 cases, 15 of which are imported cases of passengers on the repatriation flight from New Zealand in early March.

    As case numbers climb there is real concern frontline workers will be most at risk of contracting the virus.

    Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa said the surge in the community cases was expected and would continue to increase due to the transmissibility of the virus.

    “However it is clinically proven, that promoting the practices of simple protective behaviours that can reduce risk to ourselves, our friends and families; such as staying home, to reduce contact, and adhering to the preventative health measures will help reduce new infections, and subsequently contain community transmission,” she said.

    Fiame added that these were crucial components of Samoa’s national response to covid-19 which would support the Ministry of Health to undertake all necessary health measures to contain the spread of the virus and respond to cases requiring hospital care.

    She said enhancing surveillance and maintaining high surveillance rates needed the rollout of the paediatric Pfizer vaccine for children 5-11 years old, expected to start in Savai’i this week.

    Vaccination rollout
    “And the continuation of the vaccination rollout for everyone including booster does once the bulk supplies arrive over next week.”

    The Prime Minister said their message at the outset of the covid-19 national response is that vaccines are highly effective in protecting against severe disease.

    Unfortunately, the tests conducted this week, showed that some had not even started their vaccination or completed their second vaccine.

    “This is a concern,” said the Prime Minister.

    Fiame said every phase of Samoa’s journey would present new difficulties but they must remain resilient and unified and accept that everyone contributed to maintaining the well-being and health of the nation.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

  • Pasifika make up half of cases in NZ’s omicron variant surge – cases top 1000

    By Susana Suisuiki, RNZ Pacific journalist

    Pasifika people are making up about half of the cases in the current outbreak of the omicron variant in Aotearoa New Zealand.

    New Zealand’s Ministry of Health is urging the Pacific communities in New Zealand to receive their booster vaccination to protect themselves against the virus.

    Pacific health director Gerardine Clifford-Lidstone said that in the past few days there had been a big increase in the positive cases of covid-19 in Pacific communities.

    The ministry reported 1160 new community cases of covid-19 in New Zealand today — the first time the number of daily cases has surpassed 1000.

    There is a total of 56 people in New Zealand hospitals with the coronavirus, none in intensive care. The average age of the current hospitalisations is 65.

    There were also 43 cases at the border today, with travellers arriving from India, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, UAE, UK and USA.

    Yesterday, 744 new community cases of covid-19 were reported in New Zealand.

    Big increase for Pacific
    “What we’re seeing over the last few days is quite a big increase in the cases for Pacific and we did anticipate this — it’s what we’ve seen internationally,” said Clifford-Lidstone.

    “At the moment, about 50 percent of the cases are Pacific people and mainly in the Auckland region.”

    As the country begins phase two of the omicron response, Clifford-Lidstone said the impacts that omicron would have on the community was anticipated.

    “We’ve been preparing for omicron and the Pacific community impact of it since very early in January once we realised that this was going to have a significant impact,” Clifford-Lidstone said.

    “The risks for Pacific are always going to be very high, and this is mainly because we’ve got higher rates of comorbidities, so long-term conditions,” she said.

    “We tend to have multi-generational and multi-family households, and we’re likely to be in employment where there are essential worker roles and face barriers to accessing healthcare.

    Gerardine Clifford-Lidstone
    Pacific health director Gerardine Clifford-Lidstone … a growing sense of “fatigue” among the community which had spent almost four months in lockdown. Image: RNZ Pacific

    “Whether it’s delta or omicron, these are consistent right across when we’re talking about covid and the impact on Pacific.”

    Booster shot prolongs protection
    Clifford-Lidstone said the booster shot would prolong coverage and protection against the variant.

    “We’re at 97 percent for the first dose, and for the second dose we’re at 95 percent. But many of these people will now be eligible for the booster shot and, unfortunately, we’re only down at 48 percent across the country.”

    Clifford-Lidstone said the decision to move New Zealand into phase two was about “flattening the curve”.

    “What we’ve seen now is a lot more widespread community transmission, so it’s reducing the sizes of gatherings, using masks in stores and just generally a different approach to try to manage things.”

    The impact of last year’s lockdown has meant fewer Pacific people — particularly in Auckland — were getting tested.

    Clifford-Lidstone said there was a growing sense of “fatigue” among the community which had spent almost four months in lockdown.

    “As I understand it, there is an increasing feeling that people don’t want to get tested because they don’t want to be self-isolating,” she said.

    “But the thing is, this is the only way that we can get an understanding of how widespread this is and so encouraging people to go and get tested is very important.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Latest covid-19 reports roundup across the Pacific

    RNZ Pacific

    Several hundred more cases of covid in Solomon Islands … Kiribati records first covid death …nearly 12,000 in isolation in New Caledonia … French Polynesia records first covid death in nearly four months … Federated States of Micronesia calls a halt to flights from neighbouring Guam … a partial border re-opening in the Northern Marianas … and Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape says he is “doing well” while self-isolating at home from a covid-19 infection.

    Several hundred more cases of covid in Solomon Islands
    Solomon Islands recorded another 349 cases of covid 19 in the 24 hours to yesterday morning.

    Health Minister Culwick Togamana said this took the number of people contracting the virus since the outbreak began last month to 3667.

    He said the majority of the most recent cases had been recorded in Honiara where he said there was now very high community transmission.

    Kiribati records first covid death
    Kiribati has announced its first covid-19 death and 207 new cases in the community.

    There are now almost 2000 positive infections, with more than 50 percent of those recorded in the last five days.

    The Ministry of Health said the victim was an 80-year-old woman who had been hospitalised at an isolation centre.

    The ministry said the woman had only received the first dose of her covid-19 vaccination.

    Another woman, who is over 60-years-old, has been admitted and is being monitored at the Bikenibeu Isolation Centre.

    The government is advising people to “take extra care and look after their elderly parents and relatives.”

    Nearly 12,000 in isolation in New Caledonia
    New Caledonia has recorded a further 2343 covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, raising the number of active cases to nearly 12,000.

    38 people are now in hospital, including two in intensive care.

    The spread of the omicron variant started a month ago and is yet to peak.

    Sixty six percent of the population is vaccinated.

    Since September, there have been more than 30,000 recorded infections.

    French Polynesia records first covid death in four months
    French Polynesia has recorded 1058 new cases of covid-19 over the last 72 hours taking the total to 2974.

    One death has been recorded — the first since October, taking the death toll to 637.

    More than a third of the covid-19 cases are the omicron variant.

    Four people are in hospital and one person in ICU.

    The proportion of the population vaccinated is 78.6 percent.

    FSM halts incoming repatriation flights
    The Federated States of Micronesia has indefinitely stopped all incoming repatriation flights from Guam.

    FSM’s Covid-19 Taskforce said the move was in response to the high number of coronavirus infections in the US Territory.

    In a statement, the taskforce said it was essential for FSM to improve its vaccination rates before restarting flights to bring back citizens stranded in its neighbouring Guam.

    The government said it would provide assistance for citizens who are stuck in Guam, but not provide further details at this stage.

    Covid-19 vaccines are mandatory on the islands of FSM — meaning all citizens residing in the FSM must be vaccinated.

    FSM’s public health emergency has been extended until the end of May.

    Partial border reopening in the CNMI
    The Northern Marianas has reopened its borders for fully vaccinated people.

    The changes to the border protocols were made possible with 99 percent of CNMI’s eligible population now fully vaccinated, and 53 percent having had booster shots.

    CNMI’s Covid-19 Taskforce said all travellers entering the territory by air or sea would no longer be tested on arrival.

    Unvaccinated travellers, however, will be required to quarantine at home and get tested at a community based testing site five days after arrival.

    All visitors to the Northern Mariana Islands will also need to complete a mandatory health declaration and upload their vaccination status.

    Authorities say the health and safety of residents remain the top priority of the government.

    The CNMI has recorded more than 6300 cases and 23 deaths.

    PNG leader ‘doing well’ in covid recovery
    Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape says he is “alright” and “doing well” as he self-isolates at home from a Covid-19 infection.

    Marape had to cut short his visit to China after he tested positive for coronavirus in Beijing last week.

    In a statement yesterday, Marape said “there is nothing seriously wrong with me” and that “vaccination has really helped”.

    He said he would be taking a second covid-19 test tomorrow and depending on results would provide an update on Friday on when he would resume his responsibilities.

    His deputy Sam Basil is acting prime minister while Marape recovers.

    The prime minister is urging fellow PNG citizens to get vaccinated.

    PNG has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the world, with less than 3 percent of the population covered.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • NZ health expert reminds people to get tested for covid-19 as rates fall

    By Kim Moodie, RNZ News reporter

    A public health expert is urging New Zealanders to keep up the testing momentum, as testing rates take a dive over the long weekend.

    Fewer than 13,000 people were swabbed for covid-19 in the past day, at least 5000 down on the most recent week days.

    University of Otago senior lecturer Dr Lesley Gray is encouraging anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms, no matter how mild, to get tested for covid-19.

    “We know that for those people that will get symptoms, it may start as simple as sneezing, a scratchy throat, a bit of a runny nose as if it were a run-of-the-mill cold,” she said.

    “So, if you do get any of those symptoms, especially a scratchy throat, please do go forward and see if you can get tested.”

    Gray said anyone who is feeling well should make a habit of regularly checking the Ministry of Health’s locations of interest, to see if they have been exposed to the virus

    “It could be that if people are acquiring omicron, assuming there are more cases in the community, then we’ve got to accept that some people will not actually have any symptoms.

    “So unless they identify that they may have been at a location of interest, or that they may be a close contact, they may be completely oblivious to the fact that they may also have covid-19.”

    188 new community cases
    The Ministry of Health reported 188 new community cases of covid-19 today — 20 fewer than yesterday.

    It is the second day in a row that case numbers have fallen from Saturday’s record high of 243 infections.

    Several new locations of interests have been added to the Ministry of Health’s website, including Air New Zealand flights, a Wellington restaurant, a Taupō cafe and a mosque in Hamilton.

    Gray said it was important New Zealanders kept up the public health measures that had served the country well throughout the outbreak, such as masking, physical distancing, keeping a record of movements and staying home if unwell.

    “If people identify their symptoms early, then take the steps to see if they’re a positive case, it makes a huge difference. We’ve all got families and nobody wants to be transmitting this to other family members, especially our young tamariki.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Iwi clinic egged as anti-vaxxers force caution in vaccine rollout for tamariki

    By Moana Ellis, Local Democracy Reporting

    Māori health providers in Aotearoa New Zealand are holding back on covid-19 vaccinations for children in the face of growing anti-vaxxer protest in the wider Whanganui region.

    That is despite the area recording the second-lowest rate in the country of vaccinations for children aged 5 to 11 years.

    Iwi collective Te Ranga Tupua says one of its mobile vaccination clinics was egged in the Whanganui suburb of Aramoho on Wednesday and anti-vaxxer activity has been ramping up since children became eligible for vaccination.

    Local Democracy Reporting
    LOCAL DEMOCRACY REPORTING

    According to the Ministry of Health, as of Wednesday only 1600 (24 percent) of 6600 eligible children in the Whanganui District Health Board area have had their first shot.

    The rate for tamariki Māori is even worse, with only 400 (15 percent) of Māori aged between 5 and 11 years getting their first vaccination.

    The Whanganui District Health Board area includes parts of Rangitīkei and the Waimarino/Ruapehu district.

    Te Ranga Tupua rapid response vaccination co-lead Elijah Pue said anti-vaxxers are now targeting the iwi collective’s mobile teams daily with the message “hands off our tamariki”.

    Ramped up the rhetoric
    “The anti-vax community have ramped up the rhetoric. It is a health and safety issue for our staff and our frontline teams.”

    The iwi collective did not want to bring in security, preferring instead to encourage kōrero, he said.

    Te Ranga Tupua is midway through a 15-week effort to lift Māori vaccination rates in Whanganui, Rangitīkei, South Taranaki and the Waimarino.

    Pue said the iwi collective was taking the time to engage with parents who had questions or were hesitant before it launched a region-wide child vaccination rollout on 14 February.

    About 120 parents participated in an online information session with Covid-19 experts last week. Pue said Te Ranga Tupua would continue to take a cautious approach and had more information sessions for parents planned next week.

    Te Ranga Tupua vaccination co-lead Elijah Pue
    Iwi collective vaccination teams are engaging with parents who have questions before Te Ranga Tupua launches a region-wide child vaccination rollout, says vaccination co-lead Elijah Pue. Image: Moana Ellis/LDR

    The Whanganui DHB vaccination uptake for both Māori and non-Māori children is the second lowest in the country, with only Northland recording lower numbers.

    Spokesperson Louise Allsopp said the DHB was encouraging whānau to talk with their trusted healthcare providers to work through any concerns about vaccinating their 5 to 11-year-olds.

    “We are also ensuring existing providers are supported to start vaccinating children when they are ready,” Allsopp said.

    Right information for whānau
    “The key things are that people have the right information to make their decision for their whānau, then [that] vaccinations are available from the right people at the right time. There has been a focus from Māori providers on getting accurate information out there before they start vaccinating.”

    The public health team was providing support to local school principals around Covid-19 protection measures, including wearing masks at school. The DHB was also supporting additional providers to start delivering covid-19 vaccinations for both adults and children, Allsopp said.

    Covid-19 Māori health analyst Rāwiri Taonui said tamariki Māori vaccination numbers throughout the country were concerning and had to be lifted urgently before the omicron variant took hold.

    “There’s an impression that omicron causes milder disease and that’s true but the scale of cases is so large that even a small percentage of severe illnesses is quite a serious situation.”

    Taonui said MOH data showed 18 percent of tamariki Māori (5-11s) nationwide had their first vaccination compared to 33 percent for all ethnicities. But the gap was much wider due to an undercount of more than 12,000 in the index the MOH used to count vaccinations and the estimated number of tamariki Māori, he said.

    “That gap is closer to 25 or 26 percent. A more accurate calculation of the tamariki vaccination is 16.1 percent for Māori compared to 40.9 percent for non-Māori/Pacific.”

    Taonui was calling on the government to cut the wait time between first and second child vaccinations from eight weeks to three, and to prioritise the tamariki Māori vaccination rollout to avoid repeating the inequities of the national vaccination programme to date.

    Targeting low-decile schools
    “This includes targeting low-decile schools with large Māori enrolments,” Taonui said.

    “At the moment Māori cases are very low. But at some point there’s going to be a vector by which Omicron begins to make its way into our community and that is likely to come when our children go back to school and begin mixing with kids from other communities and take the virus home.”

    The MOH had to release tamariki Māori data to the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency and other Māori health providers to help them quickly locate children who had yet to be vaccinated, he said.

    Delays in child vaccinations now would carry through to second vaccinations. With the current eight-week wait time between vaccinations, a child vaccinated today would not be fully protected until April – well after Omicron has taken hold in the country.

    “That’s a real concern. We could get caught out really quite badly,” Taonui said.

    “We are starting to see numbers overseas, for instance in the United States and amongst other indigenous groups, where there’s a lot of children getting ill and child hospitalisations are increasing.

    “We’re already in a situation where by mid-January tamariki Māori were 53 percent of all under-12 infection and 63 percent of all hospitalisation. If we don’t get the tamariki vaccination rollout right, those numbers could become even worse.”

    Local Democracy Reporting is Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air. Published by Asia Pacific Report in collaboration.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • The most challenging phase of the omicron outbreak is yet to come, but New Zealand may be better prepared than other countries

    ANALYSIS: By Matthew Hobbs, University of Canterbury; Anna Howe, University of Auckland, and Lukas Marek, University of Canterbury

    Within a month of the first community exposure to omicron in Aotearoa New Zealand, the variant has already become the dominant strain of covid-19.

    We are yet to see the rapid and steep rise in new omicron cases that has been predicted. This could be because of asymptomatic transmission, but it is equally likely because public health measures included in the first phase of the “stamp it out strategy” have been effective.

    For now, managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) at the border is successfully stopping hundreds of cases from entering the community.

    While MIQ may soon change in purpose, border restrictions may not lift until the Omicron wave passes.

    The country-wide return to red settings under the covid-19 protection framework has bought New Zealand time to learn from experiences abroad. The most challenging phase is yet to come but New Zealand could be well placed to tackle it.

    The best way forward is to limit widespread transmission for as long as possible. This reduces opportunities for the virus to replicate, which is when mutations occur, potentially extending the pandemic.

    What we know about omicron
    Omicron is more transmissible than earlier variants. New Zealand can expect a rapid and steep rise in infections, especially as we’ve already had several potential superspreading events.

    As shown below, omicron quickly replaces earlier variants.

    A graph showing the rise of Omicron (red) and its displacement of earlier COVID-19 variants in the UK.

    The graph shows the rise of Omicron (red) in the UK, displacing earlier covid-19 variants.
    Our World in Data, GISAID, CC BY-ND

    Omicron’s transmission advantage is thought to be due to its ability to evade immunity (acquired through infection or vaccination) and quickly infect the upper respiratory tract.

    The risk of reinfection also appears higher than for delta, particularly in the unvaccinated and those with lower viral loads during previous infections.

    Symptoms to watch out for
    Omicron symptoms include a runny nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing and a sore throat.

    However, New Zealand’s high vaccination rates mean some people may not have any symptoms at all. The danger here is that they will still be able to pass on the virus to others, unaware they have omicron.

    It is best to assume that any symptoms, especially a sore throat, are covid-19 until proven otherwise through a test.

    For omicron, this may require saliva swab tests as recent evidence suggests they are more sensitive than nasal swabs because the viral load peaks earlier in saliva than nasal mucus.

    By testing and isolating, we can avoid spreading it to others who may be at higher risk of severe illness.

    Compared to delta, omicron has caused lower hospitalisation and death rates in many countries. This may be because it reproduces in the upper respiratory tract instead of the lungs.

    Omicron is also meeting populations with immunity acquired through previous infection or vaccination.

    In New Zealand, 67 percent of eligible people have now received their booster, which offers high levels of protection from hospitalisation and death. Boosted individuals are up to 92 percent less likely to be hospitalised with omicron, compared with unvaccinated people.

    Vaccination is especially important in New Zealand as we have had minimal prior exposure to covid-19 in the community.

    This graph shows the geographical and ethnic difference in the uptake of booster vaccinations.
    This graph shows the geographical and ethnic difference in the uptake of booster vaccinations. Author provided, CC BY-ND

    Where to from here
    Omicron is a “double-edged sword”. It is vastly more transmissible but less severe. However, it is not a mild infection and there is no guarantee the next variant will be less severe.

    In a poorly controlled outbreak, a small percentage of a large number of cases risks overwhelming healthcare systems, increasing inequities and disrupting essential services.

    Healthcare workers are already over-burdened and exhausted from previous outbreaks, which have distracted from other services and exacerbated entrenched inequities.

    There are several things each of us can do:

    • Anybody eligible should prioritise getting boosted
    • we should all continue using the COVID-19 tracer app
    • we should keep indoor spaces well ventilated by opening windows and doors
    • mask wearing remains important, especially where physical distancing is difficult.
    • and anybody who feels unwell, should get tested and isolate.

    Vaccinating children
    As children return to school, we need equitable vaccinations and ventilation.

    Data out of Australia indicate children aged five to 11 tolerated the vaccine well, with fewer side effects than adults.

    Unfortunately, our analysis, along with other evidence, documents a concerning trend with lower childhood vaccination rates for Māori and Pasifika, as well as large variation between regions.

    ALT
    This graph shows the geographical and ethnic difference in the uptake of childhood (five-11-year-olds) vaccinations. Image: Author provided, CC BY-ND

    This is concerning as some countries, including the US, have seen increases in childhood hospitalisation rates for covid-19. In the UK, one in eight pupils have missed school as covid-related absences rise.

    The success story of the delta outbreak
    Unfortunately, there’s been little time to celebrate the rather remarkable demise of delta. Even as Auckland opened up, hospitalisations and case numbers dropped.

    Summer will have helped as people spent more time outdoors. However, public health measures such as border closures, managed isolation and quarantine and contact tracing have no doubt helped stamp out much of delta, allowing a relatively normal summer holiday period for many.

    Continuing to keep delta low also means we should not have to deal with a “double epidemic”.

    This success may also fill us with some hope that, just perhaps, we might be able to avoid the worst of omicron during this next phase of the pandemic response, with robust and continually refined public health measures in place.The Conversation

    Dr Matthew Hobbs is senior lecturer in public health and co-director of the GeoHealth Laboratory, University of Canterbury; Anna Howe is a research fellow, University of Auckland, and Lukas Marek is a researcher and lecturer in spatial data science, University of Canterbury. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Fiji plans grassroots habits education to help target NCDs, says Fong

    By Luke Rawalai in Suva

    Changing daily habits will be the difficult issue to address when creating awareness in Fiji against non-communicable disease (NCDs), says Health Secretary Dr James Fong.

    Dr Fong said it required patience, empathy and resolve, but it was worth it for people to help loved ones and themselves.

    He said targeting NCDs-related care and addressing the root causes of these diseases was vital to Fiji’s response to covid-19’s inevitable progression towards becoming endemic.

    “The three divisional hospitals team also has a roving team that provides mobile support for patients,” he said.

    “The wellness team has engaged institutions and organisations through the virtual modes and has run sessions on wellness and NCDs for the Ministry of Youth and Sports and Fiji Sports Commission, youth leaders and ambassadors to empower them as champions in their communities.

    “The wellness unit has worked with the Fiji Sports Commission, Ministry of Youth and Sports and WHO (World Health Organisation) to develop videos for keeping physically active in pandemic and lockdowns.”

    Dr Fong said that to ensure their staff were catered for as well, they were working with WHO to provide support for mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) for frontliners.

    “Through the My Kana app and social media platforms we’re also encouraging an uptake of the Ministry of Agriculture “Grow From Home” gardening initiative and eating correctly-portioned meals.

    “Division by division we’re taking this campaign to the grassroots, conducting home visits to conduct check-ups, operating local clinics that offer NCDs-related care, building capacity among healthcare staff through virtual training sessions, and informing people of our tele-health system.”

    Luke Rawalai is a Fiji Times reporter. Republished with permission.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Vaccine inequity in the Pacific: ‘We need to support our neighbours’

    By Eleisha Foon, RNZ Pacific journalist

    Concern is growing around low covid-19 vaccine rates in the Pacific.

    People in developing nations are generally missing out due to accessibility issues, a slow roll out of vaccines, difficulties getting to remote areas, a lack health of resources and misinformation resulting in vaccine hesitancy.

    But ChildFund director of programmes Quenelda Clegg said developed countries need to support the Pacific and also stop hoarding vaccines.

    The organisation has been raising awareness about vaccine inequity and the issues happening in the Pacific.

    “We need to support our neighbours. They are having covid in their countries and we are starting to see those outbreaks,” she said.

    “They do need more and there needs to be a continual supply to ensure they get their vaccinations up to double dose and they need to consider boosters and vaccinations for children.”

    Papua New Guinea has some of the lowest vaccination rates in the world — only 3 percent of the population are double vaccinated.

    Near 10 percent of Solomon Islanders have had two vaccine doses and in Vanuatu it is about 22 percent.

    Samoa is 60 percent double vaccinated and Kiribati is 50 percent double vaxxed.

    New Zealand supplies
    “The New Zealand government has given a good supply to Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, but they have committed to sending more so we must ensure they do that and hold them to account,” Clegg said.

    COVAX, the worldwide initiative aimed at equitable access to covid-19 vaccines, needed to do more, she said.

    Kiribati is the only Pacific nation to be supported so far by COVAX, which is co-led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), GAVI vaccine alliance, World Health Organisation and UNICEF.

    She said some countries (but not New Zealand) were giving away vaccines when they were almost expired.

    “The support to COVAX needs to be strategic and meaningful. It can’t be when they’re just about to expire.”

    She warned new variants could emerge “from the Pacific, if we don’t do something now”.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • What New Zealand can learn from omicron outbreak in Australia

    RNZ News

    Omicron has ripped through the Australian states of New South Wales and Victoria, exposing testing regimes, decimating supply chains and causing the country’s deadliest days of the pandemic despite high vaccination rates.

    So is that New Zealand’s fate as well?

    RNZ News spoke to a trio of experts in Australia who say Aotearoa can and should do better.

    When omicron arrived in Australia in late November, governments followed through on plans to relax restrictions.

    University of Sydney epidemiologist Professor Alexandra Martiniuk said that was the first mistake.

    “If we had gone a bit lower and slower on our curve we would’ve put the pressure on our systems over a longer period of time — yes, but it would’ve been slower so we probably would’ve experienced less of the crises we did experience and importantly, this is hypothetical I suppose, more people might have been saved.”

    As the pressure built on the health system due to the number of cases, it affected the quality of care across the system.

    It also removed vast numbers out of the workforce as they isolated awaiting test results or from infection itself.

    The key to suppressing the curve was:

      • getting vaccinated and a booster as soon as possible
      • wearing a quality mask
      • thinking about physical distancing and preferably meeting people outdoors
      • scanning in
      • getting tested and isolating if symptomatic.

    New Zealand epidemiologist Professor Tony Blakely, from the University of Melbourne, agreed, saying the elderly and at-risk needed to exercise extra caution over the coming weeks and months.

    Prof Tony Blakely
    University of Melbourne epidemiologist Professor Tony Blakely … Image: Billy Wong/University of Auckland

    About half of New Zealand’s population was likely to contract omicron during the outbreak and that was okay, Professor Blakely said.

    The key to minimising death and disruption was about who caught it and when.

    “The two tricks are: having accepted that burden of infection coming through, to squash it and spread it out over time so it doesn’t overwhelm health services.

    “And the second is to try to tip away the infections from the people who have the highest risk of morbidity and mortality. So people who have comorbidities, are immunocompromised, or who are elderly,” he said.

    In essence, the pair believed New Zealand should look to prolong the outbreak, which might sound counter-intuitive, but a steady stream of cases over months was going to be better than a flood over weeks.

    Much in the same way the tide coming in over six hours did not cause a problem, but a tsunami did.

    Another thing on Aotearoa’s side was the rate of Delta.

    Australia was still dealing with 1300 cases a day of the far deadlier variant when Omicron arrived.

    Professor Blakely said as a result Australia had been fighting two epidemics.

    “It’s utterly clear – omicron is less severe than delta. The vast majority of people who get omicron don’t even know they’ve had it – they’re asymptomatic.

    “Yes there will be deaths – that’s unfortunate. But it’s a lot less than had it been delta with this amount of infectiousness.

    “Data is patchy — but in New South Wales two-thirds of people in ICU were omicron, which means one-third were delta and probably half of all deaths two weeks ago in New South Wales were among people with delta.

    “So what’s happened? Delta is perhaps only 2-5 percent of all infections out in the community but because it’s that much more serious at every step — converting you from asymptomatic to symptomatic, symptomatic to quite sick, quite sick to going to hospital, hospital to ICU, ICU to death — at every point along the way it means even though delta is a tiny proportion of infections out in the community it’s causing a reasonably large fraction of all the hospitalisations and deaths.”

    So what does that mean for New Zealand?
    “The lesson here for New Zealand is keep delta squashed down,” Professor Blakely said.

    As omicron spiralled in the community, contact tracing should focus on delta cases, he said.

    He described the New Zealand government’s plan to deal with omicron, released earlier this week, as brilliant.

    “I really like the way that they’ve laid out what’s going to happen and how close contacts are going to change, the number of days will get less as you go through before you can go back to work — it’s exactly like I would’ve designed it if I’d been asked to design it. It’s very good.”

    However, a degree of flexibility was needed as the pandemic had shown it could throw a curveball even at the best-laid plans.

    Stock up on supplies, meet loved ones
    Australasian Epidemiological Association president Associate Professor Brigid Lynch said it appeared omicron was potentially as severe as the wild variant identified in Wuhan in late 2019, but far more contagious.

    However, unlike in early 2020, there were effective vaccines that drastically curbed serious illness and death.

    Far more was also known about the virus’ transmission.

    Disposable KN-95 mask vs thin surgical mask. COVID-19 prevention. H1N1, H5N1 safety measures. Isolated on black background.
    Disposable KN95 mask pictured above a surgical mask. Image: RNZ/123rf

    To that end high-quality masks, especially inside, and quality ventilation could reduce transmission, Associate Professor Lynch said.

    “Workplaces and settings like education and aged care, we really should have had good ventilation measures – HEPA filters and things that will improve the air quality. Those are things that will be important going forward over the next few years.”

    A large and readily available supply of rapid antigen tests could also help in reducing transmission in high-risk or high-density settings, like schools, aged care and health facilities.

    Professor Martiniuk said another thing for people to consider now ahead of widespread infection and while time was still on your side was to get ready at home.

    Putting some pre-prepared meals into the freezer, stashing some electrolyte drinks and having enough paracetamol and ibuprofen for a week might make the difference between a testing or a terrible time at home with the virus — especially if people had children to care for and consider as well.

    Now was also the time to do some last-minute things for self-care, she said.

    “It’s silly but it’s actually quite useful, but now is the time to go get your haircut, to go see your loved ones in aged care residences, to get your kids together with their friends – still outdoors preferably, to get a doctor’s appointment for your chronic illness that might need a prescription refill.

    “Get it all done as if you’re going on a big vacation because in a month or two if cases are very high, those are the kind of things you won’t want to be doing.”

    But all three epidemiologists agreed – while omicron was already here, New Zealand did not need to suffer its worst effects.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Kiribati confirms more than 100 covid-19 cases – new rules

    By Kelvin Anthony, RNZ Pacific regional correspondent

    The Kiribati Health Ministry has confirmed that the atoll island nation has surpassed 100 covid-19 cases after it recorded 37 new positive infections yesterday.

    There are 116 people infected on Tarawa – 36 imported and 80 local cases.

    Nine new cases have been found in Butaritari Island, prompting the government to advise local authorities to enforce a lockdown.

    Several other islands have been placed under strict restrictions — including South Tarawa, Betio, and Buota — to stop the virus from spiralling out of control.

    Meanwhile, the government said that from today, fishermen in South Tarawa and Betio would only be allowed to go fishing between 6am and 2pm.

    Only four people would be allowed to be on a boat or part of a group fishing near shore, it said.

    The government has declared a state of disaster and the entire nation — of 120,000 — is on lockdown under a strict 24-hour curfew.

    ‘Real fear’ in community
    Speaking to RNZ Pacific from Tarawa, freelance journalist Rimon Rimon said the increase in positive cases had caused “real fear in the community”.

    “That’s the initial reaction that people have, when their life is in danger, they panic you know. That’s certainly the situation in Kiribati,” he said.

    Left to right Kiribati fisheries minister Ribanataake Tiwau and Kiribati health minister Tinte Itinteang who are part of the country's Covid-19 Response Taskforce.
    Kiribati Fisheries Minister Ribanataake Tiwau (left) and Health Minister Tinte Itinteang who are part of the country’s Covid-19 Response Taskforce. Image: Kiribati Govt/RNZ Pacific

    Kiribati was among a handful of countries that were covid-19-free, mainly because it kept its borders shut to the outside world for almost two years.

    More than 93 percent of its eligible population has been vaccinated, while just over 50 percent are fully vaccinated.

    But the nation is well short of its target of inoculating 80 percent of its target population, even though the government announced in September 2021 that it had enough vaccines to immunise more than 70,000 people over 18 years old.

    Rimon said while the vaccination programme was rolled out smoothly, it was not adequate for Kiribati to open its borders freely — as in the case of other countries.

    “Once the government opened up its borders and brought in its flights that’s when things changed completely,” he said.

    Change ‘pretty sudden’
    “The change was pretty sudden on the people and also the government, and we can see on the ground the response is not as efficient as people would want it to be.”

    It was still unclear how the virus spread into the community after a flight carrying 36 covid-19 positive people arrived from Fiji on January 14, he said.

    “At the moment our Ministry of Health is on top of things but as I understand they are overwhelmed at the moment with resources and manpower.”

    Meanwhile, the authorities are advising people to strictly follow the covid-19 protocols to minimise the risks and spreading the virus in the community.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Tulagi bans betel nut selling as covid fears grow in Solomon Islands

    By Robert Iroga in Honiara

    Tulagi in the Central Islands province of Solomon islands is the first provincial capital to ban the sale of betel nut — for an indefinite period — as a measure to help control any potential spread of covid-19.

    Premier Stanley Manetiva told SBM Online that the measure became effective yesterday as news reports indicated fears of a community spread of the virus in parts of the capital Honiara.

    A 60 hour lockdown was declared in the city and was due to be lifted today.

    He said that this was to avoid people chewing and spitting which potentially would spread the virus and from sharing lime as well.

    He said that this was to avoid people chewing betel nut and spitting which potentially would spread the virus — and from sharing lime as well.

    Manetiva said the ban stopped people from bringing in their betel nut to the Tulagi market and from selling it in the town.

    The ban is only for betel nut while other local produce is still sold at the market.

    Tulagi starts curfew
    Meanwhile, the premier also confirmed that Tulagi had started its own curfew — banning or limiting all movements by people in the town after 10pm.

    He said it was an understanding among the residents in Tulagi that there should be no movement after that time.

    The old capital has also monitored ships entering its shores and now has only two designated places for canoes to land on the island town at Taporo and the market.

    Besides Guadalcanal, the Central Islands province, is the closest to Honiara, which is experiencing community transmission of covid-19.

    RNZ Pacific reports Solomon Islands had reported 48 new cases of covid-19 on Thursday.

    It took to 81 the number of cases in the country, which until this week had had just a handful of people with the virus.

    Robert Iroga is editor of SBM Online. Republished with permission.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Guam breaks single-day record with 422 new covid cases – omicron fears

    Governor Lou Leon Guerrero presents her covid update message … “Our focus remains on preventing severe illness, preventing increased hospitalisation and saving lives.” Video: Office of the Governor of Guam

    By Mar-Vic Cagurangan in Tumon, Guam

    Guam has reported its 273rd covid-19 death and 422 new positive cases on Tuesday, breaking its daily record for new infections and shooting up the island’s Covid Area Risk score to 189.3.

    Despite the phenomenal increase in new infections, Governor Lou Leon Guerrero said she was not currently inclined to change the status quo.

    “Our Public Health interventions and protective measures remain effective and as such, I am not announcing any new restrictions at this time,” the governor said.

    “Our focus remains on preventing severe illness, preventing increased hospitalisation and saving lives,” she added.

    A 90-year-old man died, who died at the US Naval Hospital on January 5, was Guam’s 273rd covid-related death. He was partially vaccinated and had underlying health conditions. He tested positive on December 27.

    There are currently 14 covid-19 admissions within the island’s hospitals. One is receiving ICU level of care and “the remainder are not as severe,” the governor said.

    The 422 coronavirus infections were detected in 2304 specimens analysed on January 10. This is the largest single-day result ever recorded on Guam. Of the total number of new positive cases, 126 were identified through contact tracing.

    Speculated over omicron variant
    Although data is not currently available, public health officials speculated that the omicron variant, described as highly transmissible, is already spreading on the island along with the delta variant.

    To date, there have been a total of 21,540 officially reported cases, 273 deaths, 2062 cases in active isolation, and 19,205 not in active isolation.

    The unprecedented surge of infections has prompted the Department of Public Health and Social Services to accelerate the testing in Tiyan, which has transitioned to an appointment-based system.

    “Scheduling of appointments for Covid-19 testing will allow for more efficient processing and reduce long lines and wait times,” the department said.

    Testing has been expanded to six days a week and six hours a day.

    “We know that community testing helps us quickly identify new covid cases, so we can isolate the virus. Please get tested,” the governor said.

    Guam public health
    Although data is not currently available, Guam public health officials have speculated that the omicron variant, described as high transmissible, is already spreading on island along with the delta variant. Image: Pacific Island Times

    Booster clinics at 6 schools
    “To expand access and availability, we have added vaccination and booster clinics at six schools, in addition to clinics widely available at the University of Guam, Public Health community centers, and private providers.”

    She reiterated her advice for residents to “wash your hands, wear your mask and watch your distance”.

    Dr Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said last week that despite the astronomic rise in omicron-related covid cases nationwide, there was a possibility that the number would fall just as fast.

    Mar-Vic Cagurangan is editor-in-chief of the Pacific Island Times. Republished with permission.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Pasifika reach 90% vaccinated: ‘Keep going’ urges medical academic

    RNZ Pacific

    Pacific Island New Zealanders are now 90 percent fully vaccinated against covid-19, and a public health expert is urging them to keep up that momentum in the New Year.

    In a daily briefing, the Ministry of Health said 90 percent of eligible Pacific people in New Zealand had now had both vaccines.

    Associate Professor Collin Tukuitonga from the University of Auckland said that is a tremendous effort and the threat of omicron is the next challenge.

    He hopes the community embraces booster shots to guard against the more infectious variant.

    “It looks as if the two doses doesn’t give you enough protection for omicron, and the most important priority now is to get people to get their boosters as soon as that’s possible.”

    He hopes as many regions move into lower levels of restrictions in the government’s Framework Protection system people will still stay vigilant, contact trace and get tested.

    “There’s a risk that people might have gone back into a lower level of alertness, so I would hope that we maintain that [alertness].

    Ramp up once again
    “In mid-late January I think we’re going to have to ramp up once again in respect of rolling out the vaccine for the young ones.”

    Children aged between 5 and 11 become eligible for covid-19 vaccinations in mid-January, and those 12 and older are already eligible.

    Dr Tukuitonga said rolling out vaccinations for children could also be a challenge, and parents may need encouragement.

    “Parents are perhaps less certain about the benefits and more concerned about risks. So every effort is going to be needed to get the vaccination rollout in children up to the kind of levels that is needed.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Steven Ratuva becomes world’s first Pacific distinguished professor

    Tagata Pasifika

    Distinguished Professor Steven Ratuva is the first Pacific person ever to be promoted to the highest professorial status of distinguished professor.

    The award-winning Fiji-born University of Canterbury political sociologist was recognised for his global leadership and pioneering interdisciplinary research in a range of fields including ethnicity, security, politics, affirmative action, development, and social protection.

    Director of UC’s Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies, he is a prolific author. In the last two years alone he has authored and edited five books, including a three-volume global project on ethnicity — the largest and most comprehensive on the subject.

    Professor Stevan Ratuva
    Professor Steven Ratuva … speaking at a Pacific Media Centre seminar. Image: Del Abcede/APR

    Among his academic leadership roles, he has led pioneering projects on global security in collaboration with international agencies such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as chair of the International Political Science Association research committee on security, conflict and democratisation.

    Dr Ratuva currently leads projects worth several million dollars and is co-leading a UC and University of the South Pacific joint project on climate crisis and resilience, covering 16 Pacific countries. The climate project is funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    He is also leading a New Zealand Health Research Council-funded health and social protection project.

    Last year, distinguished professor Ratuva was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi and won the society’s Mertge Medal for New Zealand social science research excellence.

    In 2019, he won the University of Canterbury Research Medal and received a Senior Fulbright Fellowship in 2018 to conduct research on ethnicity and affirmative action with leading experts in the field at University of California, Duke University and Georgetown University.

    Republished with permission.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • NZ sends medical team to PNG as covid-19 overwhelms health system

    RNZ Pacific

    A New Zealand medical and logistics support team with essential supplies to assist Papua New Guinea with its covid-19 crisis has departed New Zealand.

    Associate Foreign Minister Aupito William Sio said the PNG government had formally requested humanitarian and medical support from partner governments to respond to the health crisis, with rising case numbers, hospitalisations and deaths due to the current delta surge.

    As of November 9, PNG has recorded 415 covid-19 deaths with local media reporting the health system is unable to cope with the medical crisis.

    Aupito said New Zealand was deeply saddened by the increasing loss of lives in Papua New Guinea due to the pandemic.

    “New Zealand remains committed to supporting its Pacific neighbours to respond to the challenges posed by the covid-19 pandemic,” the minister said.

    “By working closely with our partners in the region, we can make a tangible contribution to covid-19 resilience,” Aupito said.

    A logistics component comprising two NZ Defence Force logisticians and a NZ Defence Force Environmental Health Officer will support the PNG National Control Centre in the capital, Port Moresby.

    A clinical component comprising two doctors and three nurses from private company Respond Global, two Fire and Emergency NZ logisticians and a representative from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade will be based in Bougainville to support the Bougainville Department of Health.

    “Most of the team departed Saturday morning on a New Zealand Defence Force aircraft and will be based in Papua New Guinea for approximately one month,” Aupito William Sio said.

    There are already medical teams on the ground from Australia and Britain assisting Papua New Guinea with the medical crisis.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Two covid cases arrive from New Caledonia at border in Vanuatu

    RNZ Pacific

    The Vanuatu covid task force has confirmed that two arrivals from New Caleldonia have covid-19.

    But the organisation says Vanuatu remains free of any community transmission of the virus.

    Health officials are endeavouring to trace contacts from the airport to the Ramada Hotel where the two positive ni-Vanuatu nationals are now currently being quarantined.

    They were part of a group of 18 ni-Vanuatu who were repatriated from New Caledonia last Friday.

    Of the 18, eight had already contracted the virus in New Caledonia, but had been treated and the task force says are no longer presenting any symptoms.

    All 18 remain in isolation at the Ramada Hotel in Port Vila.

    Prime Minister Bob Loughman has called on the people to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their families.

    He also asked people not to disseminate incorrect information through social media, because of the panic it would cause within Vanuatu communities.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.


    This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report and was authored by APR editor.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • PNG’s capital Port Moresby reaches crisis point over covid surge

    By Gorethy Kenneth in Port Moresby

    Papua New Guinea’s biggest referral hospital has reached a crisis point as the covid-19 pandemic positivity rate surged drastically to 85 percent yesterday.

    Port Moresby General Hospital chief executive officer Dr Paki Molumi in the National Capital District (NCD) has revealed that three children with covid-19 had died three days ago.

    He also said yesterday that the hospital had recorded the highest deaths on arrival — 50 on Monday, 40 on Tuesday and 30 on Wednesday.

    This was a sign that the hospital was reaching a crisis point with services teetering on collapse unless they are immediately given more support.

    “PMGH now we have reached a crisis point. The first surge we were able to manage, the second surge we were able to manage but this third surge which is the delta variant is very aggressive, and we are reaching a very critical term,” he said.

    “Aggressive means in the first surge we saw a lot of older people getting infected, and so with the second surge.

    “This one, we are getting very young people — we lost three kids three days ago. This surge is not discriminating with anyone, its affecting everybody.”

    Another dilemma
    The hospital is also faced with another dilemma — this time over dead bodies that urgently require money and paper work to be completed to pave the way for their burial.

    The deceased include a staggering 300-plus dead bodies with many of them covid-19 related cases and the hospital does not know where it will put the new bodies that are coming out from its covid-19 wards.

    Dr Molumi also said 94 of their medical staff were infected with the virus, 52 medical and 42 nursing staff of the hospital had been infected by the virus. They must be given days off for home isolation, further reducing manpower.

    “We are faced with a crisis where cobvid patients are presenting in large numbers with shortness of breath requiring manpower to assist,” he said.

    “The few staff left are overworked and fatigued and we need to recruit more staff urgently.

    “Our staff are facing unprecedented mental health challenges, as we witness death tolls never seen in the history of our hospital.”

    “Our AusMat triage tent in front of the PMGH is full, emergency department is full, the isolation ward is full, the covid ward is full and all other beds in different sections, including the maternity wing allocated to covid are also full with covid-19 patients.

    ‘Dying before reaching hospital’
    “People are dying without reaching the hospital. Our mortuary recorded 50 deaths on admission on Monday, 40 deaths on admission on Tuesday and 30 deaths on admission today, with more expected tonight.

    “We have never recorded such a high number of deaths on admission.

    “The morgue is filled, with bodies packed on top of one another. Right now, 300 plus bodies are at the morgue.

    “Three more refrigerated containers have been installed to store dead bodies, but this is not enough. Some bodies were left outside for days because we just don’t have space in the morgue.

    “A mass burial of 200 bodies is being planned this week to create more space. The bodies are both covid positive and unclaimed non-covid,” he said.

    “So we as the city’s hospital serving over a million population in the national capital district, Central Province as well as parts of Gulf — we are reaching a crisis point.

    Matt Cannon, chief executive of St John Ambulance, also said the service was in crisis.

    “I think it’s fair to say that the ambulance service at this stage is in a crisis level,” he said.

    “Challenges they need to cater for increasing number of patients… our ambulance service is also seeing a stretch!”

    Gorethy Kenneth is a senior PNG Post-Courier journalist.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.