Combatting communicable diseases in the Pacific

Communicable diseases continue to add to the burden of disease, disability and disadvantage in many Pacific Island countries and areas. While major progress has been made in eliminating some of these diseases, more needs to be done to prevent and mitigate communicable diseases across the Pacific.

Pacific island governments are strengthening their health systems to combat old diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, leprosy and parasitic diseases, as well as more recent infectious diseases such as HIV, Zika virus and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. They are also working to prevent the re-emergence of diseases targeted for elimination, such as measles and polio.

In line with the Healthy Islands vision, WHO is working with Pacific governments and partners to combat communicable diseases and reduce avoidable disease burden and premature deaths, by:

• Strengthening surveillance systems to support the rapid detection of, and response to, emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.
• Developing and scaling up comprehensive initiatives targeting the prevention and management of HIV/AIDS, sexually transmissible diseases, hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis and vectorborne diseases.
• Expanding national immunization programmes to introduce and deliver high-quality, life-saving vaccines in efforts to achieve measles, rubella and hepatitis B elimination and prevent the re-emergence of vaccine preventable diseases.
• Leading efforts to control or eliminate endemic neglected tropical diseases, including lymphatic filariasis, trachoma, yaws, soil-transmitted helminths, leprosy and scabies.

NOTE: For the latest information on measles outbreaks in the Pacific, click here.