Solomon Islands health facilitators strengthen regional fight against diabetes

A group of dedicated national health facilitators from the Solomon Islands recently joined 24 health counterparts from 12 countries in a WHO Global Health Learning Center (GHLC) session on diabetes to strengthen regional collaboration to address one of the Pacific’s most urgent public health challenges.  

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services Solomon Islands Permanent Secretary Mrs Pauline McNeil said, “For the Pacific Island Nations, especially Solomon Islands, non-communicable diseases and especially diabetes have reached a catastrophic level. Tragically, in our country more than eight people lose their lives each day of NCD-related conditions. More than 80% of hospital admissions at our National Referral Hospital are due to NCDs – diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and obesity.”

She explained the Ministry’s NCD Road Map Policy 2024-2031 (draft) will pave the way forward for all line ministries, NGOs, and private sectors to implement the NCD policy to reduce NCDs/diabetes in Solomon Islands. 

“Therefore, one of the Ministry’s national priorities is tackling NCDs and this regional initiative comes at a critical time to addressing NCDs. Thank you WHO and partners for supporting this program. Solomon Islands participants, please take on the knowledge, skills, and strategies learned, and use them as lead efforts in your daily activities in tackling the NCDs”, said PS McNeil. 

“WHO is proud to support the Solomon Islands health workers in leading the fight against diabetes, said Dr Howard Sobel, WHO Representative in Solomon Islands. “Their active participation and valuable contributions strengthen our shared passion to better prevention, care, and healthier futures for all.”

For Priscilla Totorea Hiele, the Solomon Islands Ministry of Health and Medical Services delegate, her participation marked a renewed national commitment to tackling the silent epidemic affecting thousands of families across her country.

"Diabetes is not just a disease—it is a scourge in our society that adversely affects our people’s lives and livelihoods,” said Priscilla. “I am thankful to the Ministry of Health and WHO for the GHLC programme, as it further reinforced my passion for public health and reminded me that we can effect change by working together and sharing our respective expertise—regionally and nationally—to strengthen our health systems, empower our communities, and mount a powerful response to this insidious illness.”

The diabetes session focused on strengthening diabetes and diabetic foot care in primary clinics through clinical coaching and quality improvement. Clinical coaching involves delivery in small groups to support health workers to achieve more than 90% competency in pre-diabetes, diabetes, diabetic foot, and wound management. Selected staff are then trained as facilitators to scale up coaching. Meanwhile, quality improvement means health staff assess their facilities to identify service gaps and steps to improve service quality and implement targeted action plans. 

For session facilitator Claudence Pade, being supported by WHO in the GHLC is really encouraging. “For us Solomon Islanders, funding for learning opportunities like this is quite expensive, but WHO’s support, and those of other partners like the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand and the Institute of Philanthropy, have really helped us.” 

For example, Claudence mentions that the coaching programme has improved health services in the Honiara City Council (HCC). “We’ve seen some positive changes taking place in our clinics in HCC thanks to the coaching,” he said. “We improved our screening coverage significantly, from a small number last year to reaching hundreds of people between April and June. Through this, we were able to detect both diabetes and pre-diabetes in people who never knew they had it,” said Claudence. He added that previously, most people only find out they have diabetes when they’re already dealing with complications such as foot wounds, blindness, among others. “That’s why early screening is so critical to manage the disease before it gets worse.”

The regional initiative comes at a critical time. Diabetes and other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) continue to place an immense burden on Solomon Islands and other Pacific Island nations—further straining already fragile health systems, reducing life expectancy and quality, and affecting the most vulnerable populations, particularly those in rural and remote communities. 

GHLC fellows participate in a variety of sessions, including technical sessions on global health topics, management, and leadership-building sessions facilitated by experts. Photo: WHO / Boyang Li  

The Solomon Islands Ministry of Health and Medical Services has made addressing NCDs a national priority. Their active participation in the GHLC is a key step toward building a healthier future. It is expected that the knowledge and strategies gained both by the national facilitators and GHLC fellows will be brought back to their respective countries, where they will lead efforts to improve awareness, treatment, and prevention at the community level.

“Thanks to the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, WHO, the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Institute of Philanthropy for helping to drive this important piece of work,” said Mevilyn. “They are the ones who help procure the equipment, and they are the ones who follow up to do more mentoring for us to drive coaching and quality improvement. We’re grateful for our partners for backing us up, because if not for them, the programme would be stuck.”

As the Region moves forward with intensified urgency and shared vision, the commitment of countries like the Solomon Islands is crucial in turning the tide against diabetes in their ongoing effort to save lives and limbs.