Where we work
The Field Epidemiology in Action Team is currently working in Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, two neighbouring Pacific Island Countries in the Coral Sea.
Papua New Guinea
The Independent State of PNG has 8.2 million inhabitants, an annual population growth rate of 2.8% and the world’s most rural (87.5%) population. It is the most ethnically and linguistically diverse country in the world, with over 1000 ethnic groups and 850 indigenous languages. PNG ranks 153rd out of 189 countries in the Human Development Index. Healthcare service delivery is complicated by resource constraints and logistical challenges due to the country’s diverse geography, including its 600 Islands, lowland forests, extensive marshes, dry savannahs and mountainous terrain. PNG has a critical shortage of human resources to provide healthcare, with a skilled health worker density of 5.87 per 10000 population, far lower than the average of 65.34 per 10000 population for the Western Pacific as a whole. Endemic and epidemic infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, measles, malaria, dengue, and COVID-19, pose ongoing national and regional threats.
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands consists of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands. Most of its 690,000 inhabitants live along coastal regions. Solomon Islands ranks 138th our of 189 countries in the Human Development Index. Fragile health care systems render the country susceptible to widespread infectious disease outbreaks. Effective response efforts are hampered by geographical barriers limiting access, communication and connectivity. The Solomon Islands is vulnerable to the effects of climate change, natural disasters and the consequent infectious disease risks. The Solomon Islands experience frequency outbreaks of vector-borne and vaccine preventable diseases; malaria and TB are endemic.
