The World Bank Group has introduced a new Health Flagship Course in the Pacific, aimed at tackling pressing health challenges and advancing reforms across the region. This initiative is part of the broader World Bank Group Academy, designed to equip government officials and private sector leaders with tools for transformative development.
The Pacific faces significant health issues, including high rates of non-communicable diseases and widespread communicable diseases like malaria and tuberculosis. These are compounded by outdated healthcare infrastructure and economic strains post-COVID-19. To address these challenges, the World Bank Group is collaborating with international partners, including the Australian government and the World Health Organization (WHO), providing $172 million in International Development Association financing to eight Pacific Island countries.
The Pacific Health Systems Flagship Course was developed by faculty from the World Bank’s global Health Nutrition and Population Unit alongside regional experts. It provided policymakers from Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Tuvalu with knowledge and tools to drive health sector reform.
Pauline McNeil, Permanent Secretary for Health in Solomon Islands stated: “This is the first time that officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health have come together. It's good that we are here together so that we can see where we need to make improvements.”
Reynold Ofanoa from Tonga's Ministry of Health commented on learning opportunities provided by the course: “We learned how they operate and how to identify and fill gaps in the health system so our people can enjoy healthier lives.”
The course included an executive session attended by health ministers from five countries as well as senior leaders from Australia, WHO, and the World Bank. Participants worked on developing adaptive action plans tailored to their countries’ specific needs.
Initiatives discussed included creating a Centre for Health System Improvement in Fiji, enhancing primary care access in Tonga focusing on non-communicable disease management, developing people-centered healthcare policies in Kiribati, increasing frontline workforce training in Papua New Guinea, reforming Tuvalu’s Overseas Medical Referral Scheme among others.
Feedback was positive with 92% rating course quality as high or very high. The cohort aims to continue collaboration through a network focused on strengthening health systems across the Pacific.
In future endeavors under its revamped program format hosted by World Bank Group Academy; key multisectoral stakeholders will collaborate on addressing critical performance challenges within their respective health systems enhancing impact regionally over time.