In recognition of the Solomon Islands' successful efforts in promoting mass drug administration (MDA) for scabies and trachoma, the National Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Technical Officer from the Solomon Islands Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) is currently providing training in Kiribati.
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03-31, 2025The week-long "Kiribati Scabies and Trachoma Mass Drug Administration Technical and Operational Support" (March 24th to March 31st) is being held in Tarawa, the capital of Kiribati. This technical and operational training aims to conduct a nationwide mass drug administration, targeting the treatment of over 80% of the population of Kiribati.
Mr. Oliver Sokhana, National NTD Program Manager at the Ministry of Health, stated that he and two NTD staff members were delighted to be invited and appreciated the opportunity to provide MDA technical and operational support to members of the MDA distribution team from the Kiribati Ministry of Health. Mr. Sokhana emphasized that providing such support boosts the morale of local Ministry of Health staff, especially young leaders, by exposing them to different environments to gain experience and skills. He also noted that it is important to support neighboring countries that may lack the technical capacity to address health issues affecting the region's population. The Solomon Islands has capabilities in NTDs, and his team is happy to share their expertise and experience.
Mr. Sokhana revealed that trachoma and scabies are two prevalent NTDs in Pacific Island countries, posing significant challenges to health systems. The training focuses on a wide range of topics, including the clinical presentation and clinical management of these two diseases. Approximately one-third of the training time is concentrated on micro-planning, aimed at in-depth analysis and identification of key strategies to achieve the goals of MDA. A global initiative led by the World Health Organization (WHO) aims to eliminate NTDs by 2030, and the Solomon Islands is seen as a leader in the Pacific region in addressing NTDs and promoting this agenda on regional and international stages.
Mr. Sokhana stated that this is not the first time the Ministry of Health has provided such support to neighboring countries in the region. In previous years, the Ministry of Health has provided similar training support to other countries in the region, including Northern Australia. This exchange of expertise is a great success story for the Ministry of Health and Medical Services and the government as a whole. At the same time, the MHMS NTD technical team thanks the Kiribati Ministry of Health for hosting their stay in Tarawa and external partners for funding support for their technical mission.
