With funding support from the Australian and New Zealand governments, WHO works in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Medical services to “deliver Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) awareness, training, and systems readiness assessments through the Solomon Islands Package of Non-essential Diseases interventions (SolPEN) initiative to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on vulnerable populations.”

In a brief statement WHO says that by working together partners strive to ensure that every NCD patient can get:

  • the right treatment and medications
  • at the right time
  • at a health center close to home

“The assistance that WHO has been providing to Solomon Islands in implementation of the SolPEN program is second to none; from technical assistance down to the procurement of needed equipment and supplies,” said Dr Geoff Kenilorea, the NCD Director at the Ministry of Health and Medical services.

Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) has one of the highest death rates and disabilities in Solomon Islands. More than 70% of deaths in the country relates to NCDs and 88% of the factors contributing to NCD cases are related to one’s food intake.