Pacific Islands World Health Innovation Summit – Online

Date: Friday, 28th November 2025
Time: 09:00 – 10:30 BST
Format: Online (YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook)
Partners: Global Social Prescribing Alliance (GSPA) • Commonwealth Pacific Climate Fund (CPCF) • Ministries of Health, Pacific Islands

Health and Resilience in the Pacific – Addressing NCDs, Strengthening Systems, and Building Investment Opportunities

Welcome and Opening Remarks

• Gareth Presch, CEO, World Health Innovation Summit
• Dr Les Ala, Medical Consultant, RGH, - Vanuatu
• James Harris, Founder, Commonwealth Pacific Climate Fund (CPCF)
• Dr Sandro Demaio, Director & Head of Office, WHO Asia-Pacific Centre for Environment and Health
• Tahina Booth, Founder & Managing Director, Grass Skirt Project, Papua New Guinea
• Dr Sivaneswaran Poobalasingam, MD, Dip IBLM, FIBLM, Asia-Pacific
• Minna LeVine, Nordic Business Council USA - US/EU/Asian Investment Opportunities 
• Tana Torrano, Nordic Business Council USA - Education and Health - American Samoa

Discussion Topics:

• Addressing the growing burden of NCDs and diabetes in Pacific Island nations
• Strengthening health systems – from wellness centres to hospitals and outreach programmes (Social Prescribing)
• Building climate-resilient health infrastructure
• Mobilising finance and partnerships to scale innovation and impact across the Pacific

Moderated by:

• Gareth Presch, CEO, World Health Innovation Summit

Closing Remarks:

• Summary and next steps – Gareth Presch

Next Steps: Pathway towards a Pacific Islands Health Innovation Roadmap (2026 and beyond)

Academia institutions - colleges, universities, schools who wish to partner email: info@whis.world 

For sponsorship opportunities contact gareth@whis.world 

The World Health Innovation Summit (WHIS) is a global platform aimed at fostering innovation in healthcare by bringing together various stakeholders, including healthcare professionals, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and patients. The summit provides a collaborative environment for sharing knowledge, ideas, and best practices to address global health challenges. Here are some key aspects and objectives of the WHIS:

1. Promoting Healthcare Innovation: The summit focuses on innovative solutions and technologies that can improve healthcare delivery, patient outcomes, and overall public health.
2. Collaboration and Networking: WHIS facilitates networking among diverse participants, enabling cross-sector collaboration and partnerships that can drive healthcare improvements.
3. Sharing Best Practices: Participants share successful strategies and approaches from different regions and contexts, helping others learn and implement effective practices.
4. Policy and Advocacy: The summit engages with policymakers to discuss and advocate for policies that support health innovation and address barriers to healthcare access and quality.
5. Patient-Centered Care: Emphasizing the importance of patient perspectives, WHIS aims to ensure that healthcare innovations meet the actual needs and preferences of patients.
6. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): The summit aligns with the United Nations' SDGs, particularly those related to health and well-being, promoting initiatives that contribute to global health targets.you receive the best possible care.
7. Investment: and opportunities to create a sustainable model of healthcare worldwide. 

Background: Tackling the Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Crisis in Vanuatu and the Pacific

The South Pacific islands face one of the most urgent health challenges of our time – the growing epidemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). In Vanuatu, NCDs such as cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory conditions, cancer, diabetes, and mental health disorders account for a staggering 74% of all mortality.

Recent data underline the severity of the problem. Screening on two islands (9,000 adults over 25 years) revealed:

• 42% hypertension
• 16–20% diabetes (increasing trend)
• 59% overweight/obese

This reflects a broader regional crisis where lifestyle, diet, and limited healthcare access collide with high vulnerability.

Vanuatu has developed a comprehensive, decade-long strategy to reduce premature NCD deaths and improve quality of life. 

The plan emphasizes a continuum of care:

1. Prevention & Health Promotion – education campaigns, healthy diet, physical activity.
2. Screening & Early Detection – wider rollout of community-level checks.
3. Diagnosis & Treatment – strengthening primary and secondary care.
4. Management & Rehabilitation – addressing complications and chronic needs.
5. Palliative Care – ensuring dignity and support at end of life.

• Multisectoral collaboration – government, NGOs, health providers, and community groups working together.
• Community engagement – empowering villages, churches, and youth networks to lead awareness.
• Equity – ensuring services reach remote islands and vulnerable groups.
• Evidence-based practice – using both international guidelines and local data.
• Responsiveness – tailoring interventions to Pacific cultural and community realities.

Building on a 2015 baseline, Vanuatu has set ambitious goals:

• 25% reduction in NCD mortality (M: from 52% → <39%; F: from 60% → <45%)
• 10% reduction in physical inactivity (11.7% → <10.5%)
• 25% reduction in hypertension prevalence (28.6% → <21.5%)
• No increase in obesity (kept at 18.8%)
• No increase in diabetes (kept at 9.3%)

The WHIS South Pacific online gathering will provide a platform for policy makers, health professionals, NGOs, researchers, and communities to:

• Share lessons from the Vanuatu NCD Strategy.
• Discuss practical tools for prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment.
• Explore how equity, collaboration, and community-led innovation can turn the tide.
• Build regional cooperation to reduce NCDs across the Pacific.

Vanuatu’s story is one of urgency but also of hope – a small island nation facing a major health crisis, yet leading with vision, community strength, and innovation. The next five years are critical: success will depend on collective action to prevent disease, 

strengthen health systems, and empower communities.