PINA

Since the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’Apai volcano and subsequent tsunami, communications remain disrupted across Tonga. Many loved ones living abroad have been fearing for the welfare of their relatives. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is supporting the Tongan Red Cross Society (TRCS) in reconnecting families after this devastating natural disaster. Since Thursday 20 January, over 140...

Solomon Islands Minister of Health and Medical services Dr Culwick Togamana has confirmed that the COVID-19 variant spreading in the country is the Delta variant. The health minister confirmed the variant during his daily situation update Tuesday. He said the Delta variant has shown to be deadly in other countries, and says it is important that those with underlying health issues...

Closed borders have created a backlog of criminal deportations to Pacific Islands states, and more effective transition programs are needed to reduce the risk of recidivism among returnees, Henrietta McNeill and Magele Vernon Mackenzie write. Criminal deportations to the Pacific have risen significantly in the last decade. These deportees, who are mostly male, are being sent back to their...

The Northern Marianas Mini Games Organising Committee is looking to help Tokelau send its athletes to this year’s Mini Games by tapping Pacific Games Council grants. “Tokelau is a small, very tiny community and they’ve only sent a handful of athletes in previous Games. We’re trying to facilitate through the Pacific Games Council CEO Andrew Minogue if we can have...

The head of the World Health Organisation says an investigation is underway into alleged reports that the UN health agency's top official in the Western Pacific engaged in racist, unethical and abusive behaviour, following a report last week. At a meeting of the WHO's executive board over the weekend, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the agency was first made aware of...

A record surge of COVID-19 is threatening to overwhelm hospitals and fragile health systems in Pacific countries as the virus is running rampant in several countries for the first time. Solomon Islands is experiencing its first-ever community outbreak, with more than 780 reported cases and its first five COVID-19 related deaths. Fiji is experiencing its third wave of COVID-19 infections,...

Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda, and Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, have announced the week of 20 June 2022 as the new date agreed with member countries for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). CHOGM was due to have been held in Kigali in June 2020 but has been postponed twice due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. CHOGM is...

Australia has distributed 18m doses of Covid-19 vaccine to neighbouring countries but is being urged to dedicate money and resources to Covax – the global vaccination mechanism – so that the world’s least-inoculated countries can access vaccines. Australia’s “vaccine diplomacy”, focusing on bilateral donations to the Pacific and south-east Asia has come at the expense of commitments to the global...

Total of 303 more people are reportedly tested positive for Covid-19 in Solomon Islands Monday. Minister of Health and Medical Services Dr Culwick Togamana release the new figures in his Covid-19 update saying, three additional Covid deaths are recorded, two at Kilufi hospital in Malaita and one at the Central Field Hospital in Honiara. “Based on our testing capacity, and reports...

More staff from overseas have arrived in Honiara to support construction work on the 2023 Games facilities. The additional staff, presumably from China arrived via a charter flight. Confirming this, Chairman of the Solomon Islands National Hosting Authority and Secretary to the Prime Minister, Dr Jimmie Rodgers says all arrivals are staff to work on the Pacific Games project. “Due to the...