The Pacific Regional Social Development Programme recognises the clear linkages between health, education, youth and gender.
Photo: Steven Nowakowski.

Pacific regional human development programme

2009/2010 Allocation: NZ$13.5 million

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Snapshot

In the 2008/09 financial year, the Pacific Regional Social Development Programme combined, for the first time, the Pacific Regional Health and Education Programmes. With an enhanced focus on gender and youth, the Programme recognises the clear linkages between health, education, gender and youth.

NZAID priorities

NZAID will develop an overarching Strategic Framework for the Programme over 2009/10. This will be guided by NZAID's policy framework (see Related Links below); including the Health Policy, Education Policy, Gender Policy and the Pacific Strategy 2007 – 2015.

In addition, the Programme will continue to be guided by Pacific priorities identified through the Pacific Plan, the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, the Pacific Ministers of Health Meeting, the Forum Education Ministers Meeting, the Pacific Platform for Action on Advancement of Women and Gender Equality (2005 – 2015) and the Pacific Youth Strategy and Charter.
NZAID support for regional health initiatives involve partnerships with key stakeholders in the Pacific (including governments, regional agencies, non-government organisations and communities) and focus largely on developing, implementing and evaluating primary health prevention and care across three broad priority areas:

communicable diseases, for example HIV and AIDS, sexually transmitted infections and influenza pandemics
non-communicable diseases (for example type II diabetes) and other societal issues such as disabilities
building the capacity of the health workforce/human resources for health.

NZAID also provides support to tertiary and secondary health.

Regional education assistance is aligned with the Forum Basic Education Action Plan (FBEAP), which notes the urgent need for each country, in line with national development goals and commitments, to improve basic educational planning.

NZAID on the ground

Supporting more effective laboratories

Health laboratory services are an integral part of any health system and to improve health. Laboratories provide critical information to inform decision-making for the well-being of individuals and also more broadly in areas such as health security and meeting International Health Regulations (IHR).

The Pacific is challenged by the emergence of non-communicable diseases (like diabetes and hypertension) in addition to the ongoing burden on new and emerging infectious diseases (such as dengue fever and malaria). Laboratories play an important part in the diagnosis, monitoring and control of these diseases. Systemic capacity constraints in the Pacific mean that most laboratories have difficulty in up-skilling staff, setting up new technology and maintaining high standards.

NZAID has committed over NZ$1 million over four years to support the core work of the Pacific Paramedical Training Centre (PPTC). Established in 1980, the PPTC provides training for Pacific laboratory technicians. This training is tailored to the specific equipment and testing requirements in the technicians’ home country. The PPTC also provides support for the improvement of the laboratory quality management systems improvement, which supports the comprehensive and effective functioning of laboratories. The Regional Quality External Assurance Programme provides an opportunity for laboratories to measure their performance as they are required to regularly analysis test samples.

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