Health Minister, Dr. Ifereimi Waqainabete speaking at the a Pacific Health Governance Research Network workshop in Nadi [Source: Fijian Government]

It’s important that health professionals in Small Island Developing States are empowered to have the capacity and skills needed for policy making.

Speaking at a Pacific Health Governance Research Network workshop in Nadi – Health Minister, Dr. Ifereimi Waqainabete highlighted that health must be mainstream.

Dr. Waqainabete says formulating the needed policies can help address one of their biggest challenge which is climate change.

“ It’s expected that with climate change- what ranges on environmental and social determinants of health include heat wave, the rise in sea levels, extreme weather events contribute to a series of challenges ranging from food security, scarcity of drinking water and increase in communicable respective diseases.”

The Minister stresses that research plans developed from the program could evaluate models for building sustainable water systems to ensure there’s clean drinking water in all health facilities and schools.

Pacific Health Governance Research Network workshop in Nadi [Source: Fijian Government]