Health Experts Deployed to Kiribati and Tonga to Assist With COVID-19 Response

The Pacific Community (SPC) deployed a team of health experts from the Public Health Division to support requests made by Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs), to assist with its COVID-19 preparedness and response.

Five health experts are travelling to Kiribati, while another two will travel to Tonga on Tuesday 15th February.

SPC is working in collaboration with the Ministry of Health Kiribati and Tonga. The team will be supporting Kiribati and Tonga in the areas of infection, prevention and control, laboratory, clinical services, biomedical engineering, coordination, and data management.

Director for the Public Health Division, Dr Berlin Kafoa says, “from the onset of the pandemic, SPC has been working remotely to support the region. We are now able to respond to country requests by deploying our technical health experts.”

According to data as of 10th February the cumulative total of COVID-19 recorded cases in Kiribati was 2,235 cases, 42 imported cases and 2,193 community cases on South Tarawa, Betio, Buota, Butaritari and North Tarawa. For Tonga, as of 10 February, a total of 66 COVID-19 positive cases were reported including 64 active cases.

The Pacific Community (SPC) is the principal scientific and technical organisation in the Pacific region, supporting development since 1947. SPC is an international development organisation owned and governed by 27 country and territory members.

Image credit: The Pacific Community (SPC)