Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services, Dr. Jemesa Tudravu

Pacific Island nations still face challenges in meeting the needs of child health services, where significant gaps remain.

Challenges include limited access to advanced healthcare in rural and island areas, the effects of poverty and climate change on children, lack of early support for children with disabilities, and not enough services for adolescent and mental health.

This was emphasized by the Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical Services, Dr. Jemesa Tudravu, at the Pacific Paediatric Association Conference 2025, themed “Pacific Child Health – Examining the Past, Defining the Present, and Moving Towards a Brighter Future.”

He acknowledges that the Pacific has made progress in reducing child mortality, expanding immunization programs and coverage, and improving child health services.

Tudravu adds that they are facing increasing demands in areas such as neurodevelopmental conditions, child protection, appropriate adolescent care, and the growing burden of non-communicable diseases in children and are working on ways to address these challenges.

“However, we must acknowledge that progress on child health in the small island states of our Blue Continent lags behind the rest of the world. Mirroring global trend, the leading causes of mortality among children in under five in the Pacific region are infections, predominantly pneumonia, and neonatal conditions including prematurity and birth related complications. Most of these deaths can be prevented through simple interventions.”

Tudravu adds that the health and well-being of children is impacted by both under nutrition and over nutrition, access to quality care, and environmental factors.

He adds that, in order to enhance its services, they will be working with the Pacific Paediatric Association to place child health and well-being at the top of national and regional health agendas.

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