Infectious disease

Infectious disease — the theme of the SPC Conference

The global outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), the growing number of HIV/AIDS cases in the region and other outbreaks led the Government of Fiji Islands to select “The Pacific’s response to infectious diseases” as the theme of the November 2003 meeting of the Conference of the Pacific Community. At an earlier forum in 2003, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) were the focus of the SPC/WHO Meeting of the Ministers of Health of the Pacific Islands held in March 2003.

In this context, the activities of the Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network (PPHSN), especially those related to the SARS threat, were duly highlighted during the meeting. The SPC Public Health Surveillance and Communicable Disease Control Section, as focal point of the PPHSN Coordinating Body, made a presentation on the PPHSN during the conference. Posters of the PPHSN were also distributed to the Pacific Island government delegates. This meeting was a very good opportunity to promote the activities of the network and obtain the support of the governments in the fight against infectious diseases.

The PPHSN presentation included the following key messages:

PICTs need to be committed to preparedness (rather than late and costly response), e.g. SARS and influenza.
This implies a political commitment to sharing information with health professionals from other PICTs through PacNet from the very early stages of an outbreak, before its dissemination.
Appropriate legal frameworks need to be in place in order to optimise the response to infectious diseases, especially the epidemic ones.
It is important that PICTs and Aid Donors continue to secure sustainable funding for in-country preparedness and response to outbreaks.
The PPHSN Strategic Framework, developed by senior PICT health professionals, should be the flexible common reference for national and territorial strategic planning with regard to the surveillance of and response to outbreak-prone communicable diseases, and also for PPHSN allied members.
Multi-sectoral approaches are essential and need to be supported.
Access to information through email and Internet should be improved.
Finally, as only people can make a difference, a dedicated, trained and stable public health workforce with career paths is vital for the health of the populations.

The PPHSN presentation included the following key messages:

PICTs need to be committed to preparedness (rather than late and costly response), e.g. SARS and influenza.
This implies a political commitment to sharing information with health professionals from other PICTs through PacNet from the very early stages of an outbreak, before its dissemination.
Appropriate legal frameworks need to be in place in order to optimise the response to infectious diseases, especially the epidemic ones.
It is important that PICTs and Aid Donors continue to secure sustainable funding for in-country preparedness and response to outbreaks.
The PPHSN Strategic Framework, developed by senior PICT health professionals, should be the flexible common reference for national and territorial strategic planning with regard to the surveillance of and response to outbreak-prone communicable diseases, and also for PPHSN allied members.
Multi-sectoral approaches are essential and need to be supported.
Access to information through email and Internet should be improved.
Finally, as only people can make a difference, a dedicated, trained and stable public health workforce with career paths is vital for the health of the populations.

In general, thematic presentations and discussions at the conference concentrated on two specific diseases (HIV/AIDS and SARS), and on the broader issue of disease surveillance and response capacity in the region. They were divided into five main sub-themes.

1. Setting the Scene: This sub-theme included the introductory presentations:

general introduction by Dr Jimmie Rodgers, SPC
overview – Communicable Diseases in the Pacific by Dr Mark Jacobs, SPC

2. Global and Regional Threats to PICTs: This one concerned the vulnerability of PICTs to Infectious Diseases Epidemics / Endemics with two focus presentations:

The Global spread of HIV/AIDS — Vulnerability in the Pacific by Dr Michael O’Leary, CDC/PIHOA
SARS — Where are we now? What have we learned? Implication for Pacific Island Countries by Dr Rob Condon, WHO Suva Office

3. Pacific Response to Infectious Disease Epidemic: This sub-theme demonstrated how the PPHSN is used in the region to track identify and respond to infectious diseases. It also highlighted the current regional and some national responses to the HIV/AIDS challenge. Presentations included:

The PPHSN — Pacific Response to Epidemic Threats by Dr Tom Kiedrzynski, SPC
Kiribati’s Response to HIV/AIDS by Dr Kabwea Tiban, Kiribati
Regional Response to HIV/AIDS/STI by Dr Dennie Iniakwala, SPC
Fiji’s Response to HIV/AIDS by Dr T. Tuiketei, Fiji Islands
PNG’s Response to HIV/AIDS by Dr Nikwana Moiya, Papua New Guinea
French Polynesia’s Response to HIV/AIDS by Honorable Minister Armelle Merceron

4. Challenges facing PICTs in their fight against Infectious Diseases: This sub-theme provided a brief summary of the challenges facing many PICTs, which undermine their ability to effectively fight against major infectious diseases. Presentations included:

Regional / International Perspective by Dr Jimmie Rodgers, SPC
National Perspective: Fiji Response by Dr T. Tuiketei, Fiji Islands

5. Which way from here?: The last sub-theme was a panel discussion with, as panelists: Dr Jimmie Rodgers representing the Dean of the Fiji School of Medicine, Mr Iosefa Maiava (Deputy Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat), the Honourable Marian Hobbs (New Zealand Associate Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade), Mr Jim Lloyd (member of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of Australia) and Mme Eliane Chungue (Acting Director of the Pasteur Institute of New Caledonia).

The final outcomes of this important meeting will be published in the next issue of Inform’ACTION.