The Cook Islands has been awarded the ‘WHO (World Health Organization) Healthy Islands Best Practice Recognition Award – Work Smarter for a Covid-19 Safe Cook Islands’.

The award was presented to the Associate Minister of Te Marae Ora Ministry of Health Te-Hani Brown at the 15^th Pacific Health Ministers Meeting in Nukualofa, Tonga, late last month.

In a statement, Brown said: “This award is testament to the success of everyone involved in the Cook Islands Covid-19 response, and to the leadership of the three pillars of our nation – our Government, Te Ui Ariki, the Religious Advisory Council, and our people.”

“The collaborative partnership between the government agencies, non-government organisations, the private sector, and our Pa Enua Island Governments was key in operationalising our national response.

“The Cook Islands stand proud to have been recognised and awarded by WHO for best practices in our efforts in protecting our people from Covid-19 and also to our continuing efforts to advancing the Healthy Islands vision.”

Brown said there are opportunities on the back of the pandemic that should be taken advantage of.

“For example, the health sector needs to capitalise on the increased understanding of the significance of good health and its importance to functioning societies and economies and convince other sectors to work with us.”

Health leaders from 18 Pacific Island countries attended the meeting in Tonga that was supported by WHO and the Pacific Community (SPC).

The meeting re-affirmed the collective commitment to the achieving the Healthy Islands ideal envisioned in 1995. In 2015, this vision was reaffirmed, WHO stated then: “Accordingly, the Healthy Islands vision is one where: Children are nurtured in body and mind; Environments invite learning and leisure; People work and age with dignity; Ecological balance is a source of pride; and, The ocean which sustains us is protected.”

Te Marae Ora secretary Bob Williams noted that the Healthy Islands ideal and the Cook Islands response to Covid-19 were part of the specific initiatives or strategies Te Marae Ora implemented to receive WHO’s recognition.

During the meeting, all the Health Ministers resolved to use their positions to lead whole-of-government and whole-of-society action to bring better health to people across the Pacific.

Four key thematic agenda items were discussed – rethinking human resources for health given the critical shortage of health professionals globally affecting the Pacific, tackling the drivers of obesity particularly among children and young people, advancing health information, and digital transformation in the health sector, including strengthening health systems resilience.

Brown expressed that the ministers acknowledged the issues facing Pacific health and its health systems, which have long been recognised. She said some of these issues were first raised at the inaugural meeting in 1995 “and yet the pace of progress has been slow”.

She said at the same time, new challenges continue to emerge that need to be addressed and new opportunities arise that need to be grasped.

“It is important to re-dedicate our commitment to finding effective solutions, based on the best local and traditional knowledge and global ideas.

“The ministers also recognised that action by the health sector alone will not be sufficient to address our biggest challenges.”

A total of 26 recommendations were endorsed by Ministers for countries to implement relating to the four key areas and a total of 20 recommendations were directed to development partners.

Brown advocated the Cook Islands commitment in response to the key thematic areas to improving the Cook Islands Health system and the health and wellbeing of its people.  

Partners in the Pacific COVID-19 Joint Incident Management Team were also acknowledged for standing side-by-side with the Pacific during the pandemic.