COVID-19 lessons for public messaging
By Mere Nailatikau Whether it was the early reports out of China in late 2019, the World Health Organization’s announcement of a pandemic in March 2020, or the dreaded first official announcement of an in-country
Fit for purpose
Concerns over Solomon Islands quarantine centres By Ben Bilua The smell of new paint is still strong at the newly refurbished Nusatupe Quarantine site in Solomon Islands. The quarantine site has been empty since its
Five-year timeline to vaccinate
By Kevin McQuillan New modelling has revealed that Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea will have vaccinated less than 20% of their adult populations by the end of this year and it could take five years to
ANALYSIS: Challenges for Tonga as election looms
As Tongans lose faith in the major parties, the country’s election will likely see a rise in new independent members of parliament, Kalafi Moala writes. Tonga goes to the polls on 18 November to elect 26 members of
Tonga facing lockdown
Tonga is expected to go into lockdown later today after the kingdom reported its first COVID-19 case. Preparations are underway with churches being mobilised to support medical authorities. Tonga had been COVID-free
Catalysing Tuvalu’s ICT ambitions
By Dionisia Tabureguci A five-year agreement signed last year between the Tuvalu Government and satellite service provider Kacific Broadband Satellites International Limited (Kacific) came at critical juncture for the
Pacific Ports: Climate and COVID
More than 90% of trade commodities come to Pacific Island countries and territories by sea; with imports dominated by fuel, industrial, commercial machinery and other natural resources. But over the last two years the
Port Moresby General hospital on the verge of collapse
PNG COVID update: Papua New Guinea’s Port Moresby General Hospital(PMGH) says it is reaching a crisis point, with services teetering on collapse unless they are immediately given more support. “We urgently need
Fiji ready to welcome international tourists
Fiji tourism operators are deep in preparations to welcome international visitors back to the tourism-dependent nation. Fiji has announced the opening of borders to Australia, New Zealand, United States of America,
COVID-19 cases in Papua New Guinea: the silent dead
Although only 65,000 suspect COVID-19 cases have been reported in Papua New Guinea over the last year, PNG’s own administrative health data show 2.6 million cases of flu- and pneumonia-like symptoms over the same
