AGP Executive Report

Head Injury and Rugby: Eli Katoa is supporting Tonga’s World Cup squad from the sidelines after fluid was drained from his brain following three head knocks. An investigation into Tonga’s handling of the injuries led to three medicos receiving two-year bans. Mental Health in Tonga: An upcoming Ngalu Fānifo mission will train nurses and community champions in Hihifo to recognise mental health concerns and connect people with support. Parkinson’s Research: Researchers say a genetic form of Parkinson’s linked to the PINK1 gene is more common among Pacific communities than previously recognised, including Tongans; more than 400 Pasifika people in New Zealand could be affected. Children’s Heart Care: Five Tongan children are among 15 from the Pacific set to receive heart surgery in Fiji through the Uto Bulabula initiative. Cancer Screening: A Pacific health advocate is calling for free bowel cancer screening from age 35 for Māori and Pacific people, saying New Zealand’s recent move to lower the general screening age to 56 does not go far enough.

Mental Health: PMA Group’s upcoming Ngalu Fānifo mission in Tonga will train Hihifo nurses and community champions to identify mental-health concerns and connect people with support. Cancer Screening: Pacific health advocate Rachel Afeaki-Taumoepeau says free bowel cancer tests should begin at 35 for Pacific and Māori people in New Zealand, arguing that lowering the age to 56 is not enough. Children’s Heart Care: A Fiji-based programme will provide life-saving surgery for 15 Pacific children, including five from Tonga; 44 children have received care since the initiative began. Heart Disease Prevention: A Pacific surgeon warns that diets high in salt, sugar and processed foods, combined with inactivity, raise risks of heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Mental Health: The Pasifika Medical Association’s upcoming Ngalu Fānifo mission in Tonga will train nurses and community champions in Hihifo to recognise mental health concerns and connect families with support. Heart Care: Five Tongan children are among 15 Pacific children set to travel to Fiji for life-saving heart surgery through the Uto Bulabula initiative, which has helped 44 children since it began. Cancer Screening: Pacific health advocate Rachel Afeaki-Taumoepeau says bowel cancer screening should start at 35 for Pacific and Māori people, arguing that New Zealand’s recent reduction to 56 does not go far enough.

Children’s Heart Care: Five Tongan children are among 15 Pacific youngsters set to receive life-saving heart surgery in Fiji through the Uto Bulabula initiative. The programme has helped 44 children since it began. Heart Disease Prevention: Pacific surgeon Sanjeev Khulbey urges healthier eating, regular exercise and health checks to reduce heart disease risks. His hospital has repaired or replaced heart valves in 30 patients from Pacific nations, including Tonga.

Children’s Heart Care: Five Tongan children are set to travel to Fiji for life-saving heart surgery through the Uto Bulabula initiative, which has helped 44 Pacific children since it began. Heart Disease Prevention: A Pacific heart surgeon warns that unhealthy diets and inactivity can raise the risk of heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. Tonga is among the countries whose patients have received specialist valve treatment in Fiji.

Heart Health: A Pacific cardiac surgeon is urging healthier eating, regular exercise and routine check-ups to help prevent heart disease, warning that poor diets and inactivity raise the risk of obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Tonga is among the countries whose patients have received specialist heart-valve treatment in Fiji. Children’s Cardiac Care: Five children from Tonga are expected to travel to Fiji for life-saving heart surgery as the Uto Bulabula initiative returns for its third year. The programme has supported 44 Pacific children since it began. Power Supply: Tonga Power has added two generators at Popua, increasing capacity by 3.52 megawatts as the utility works to reduce outages that have disrupted households and essential public services.

Heart Health: A Pacific surgeon is urging healthier diets, regular exercise and check-ups to reduce heart disease risks, including for Tongans. Unhealthy eating and inactivity can contribute to high blood pressure, diabetes and other serious conditions. Children’s Cardiac Care: Five Tongan children are among 15 from Tonga, Samoa and Vanuatu set to receive life-saving heart surgery in Fiji through the Uto Bulabula initiative, which has helped 44 children since it began.

Essential Services: Tonga Power has added two generators at Popua, increasing capacity by 3.52 megawatts as Tongatapu continues to face outages affecting households and public services. Children’s Heart Care: Five Tongan children are among 15 from across the Pacific set to receive life-saving heart surgery in Fiji through the returning Uto Bulabula initiative. Heart Disease Prevention: A Pacific surgeon is urging healthier diets, regular exercise and check-ups to reduce heart disease risks; 30 patients from seven Pacific nations, including Tonga, have received heart valve treatment in Fiji. Vaccination Watch: A travel-linked measles case in New Zealand has renewed calls for Pacific families to check children’s MMR records and ensure both doses are up to date.

Children’s Heart Care: Five Tongan children are among 15 from across the Pacific set to travel to Fiji for life-saving heart surgery through the Uto Bulabula initiative. The programme has helped 44 children since it began. Climate and Health: Pacific leaders say climate funding is needed to protect health services, including relocating about 50 health centres threatened by rising seas. Heart Disease Prevention: A Fijian heart specialist urges healthier diets, regular exercise and routine check-ups to catch risks early; patients from Tonga are among those treated at his hospital. Vaccination Alert: A travel-linked measles case in New Zealand has renewed calls for Pacific families to check children’s MMR vaccination records.

Climate and Health: The Pacific Community approved US$129.9 million in climate funding, including US$17.89 million to strengthen resilience to climate-related health risks in the Federated States of Micronesia. Heart Disease: A Fiji-based surgeon urged healthier diets, exercise and regular check-ups to prevent heart disease; Tonga is among seven Pacific nations whose patients have received specialist heart-valve treatment in Fiji. Tonga’s Ocean: More than US$25 million in Bezos Earth Fund grants will support Pacific marine conservation, including new protected areas in Tonga. Measles Watch: A travel-linked case in New Zealand renewed calls for Pacific families to check children’s vaccination records and ensure they have both MMR doses.

Heart Health: A Fiji-based cardiothoracic surgeon is urging Pacific communities, including Tongans, to eat well, stay active and get regular check-ups. Poor diet and inactivity raise risks of heart disease, stroke, diabetes and high blood pressure; Pacific Specialist Healthcare has treated 30 heart-valve patients from seven island nations. Measles Watch: A travel-linked case in Wellington has renewed calls for Pacific families to check children’s records and ensure they have both MMR doses. Access to Care: Rising fuel costs are pushing up transport and food prices across the Pacific, contributing to missed clinic visits and fewer meals, especially for outer-island and low-income households. Genetics and Screening: A study using data from Tonga and other Polynesian populations found close links between Native Hawaiians and Rapa Nui; researchers say rare disease variants in island communities may be missed by global medical databases.

Heart Health: A Fiji-based heart surgeon is urging Pacific communities to eat well, stay active and get regular check-ups, warning that heart disease risks can go unnoticed until serious treatment is needed. His hospital has treated patients from Tonga and six other Pacific nations. Measles Prevention: A travel-linked case in Wellington has renewed concern about vaccination gaps among Pacific families. Health officials urge parents to check children have received both MMR doses. Cost of Care: Rising fuel prices are increasing transport and food costs across the Pacific, contributing to missed clinic visits and fewer meals for vulnerable households. Governments are using welfare support and transport subsidies to ease the strain. Pacific Health Services: A Pacific health adviser says communities face growing pressure and calls for urgent improvements in wellness support, timely access to care and Pacific representation in the health workforce.

Measles Alert: A travel-linked case in Wellington has renewed concern about Pacific vaccination gaps. Health officials urge families to check children have received both MMR doses; no case in Tonga was reported. Pacific Health Access: A Pacific health adviser says urgent system changes are needed, with wellness, timely care and a stronger Pacific health workforce among key priorities. Screening: A new review examines how HPV self-sampling could widen access to cervical cancer screening in low-resource settings, where the disease causes the vast majority of deaths. WHO Leadership: China has nominated maternal and child health specialist Song Li to lead the WHO. Tonga’s Saia Ma’u Piukala was selected to head its Western Pacific region in 2023.

Pacific Vaccination: A travel-linked measles case in Wellington has renewed warnings for Pacific families to check children’s records and ensure they have both MMR doses. Tonga Health Access: On remote Fotuhaʻa, bringing a van ashore is a community effort; UNICEF previously reported nurses faced a dangerous landing while delivering children’s vaccines because the island has no wharf. Cost of Care: Pacific fuel-price rises are pushing up transport and freight costs, contributing to missed clinic visits, fewer meals and missed school days; governments are using social protection and transport support to cushion the impact. Health Services: A Pacific health adviser says communities need better access to care, shorter waits and a stronger Pacific workforce, warning that many families are under severe pressure and need support before illness becomes critical.

Tonga’s Ocean Health: The Bezos Earth Fund is providing more than US$25 million for Pacific conservation, including new marine protected areas in Tonga. Measles Alert: A travel-linked case in New Zealand has renewed concern about vaccination gaps among Pacific families; health officials urge people to check that children have received both MMR doses. Clinic Access: Rising fuel costs are driving up transport expenses and delaying clinic visits for some Pacific households, prompting governments to use social protection and subsidies to cushion the impact. Island Health Services: On Fotuhaʻa, the lack of a wharf makes deliveries difficult; UNICEF has reported nurses facing a dangerous landing to bring vaccines to children. Pacific Health Priorities: A Pacific health adviser says urgent system change is needed, with wellness, timely care and a stronger Pacific health workforce among key priorities.

Measles Watch: A travel-linked case in Wellington has renewed calls for Pacific families to check that children have received both MMR doses. Health officials say measles can arrive with international travellers and spreads easily. Health Access: Rising fuel and transport costs across the Pacific are contributing to missed clinic visits, fewer meals and missed school days. Governments are using social protection and subsidies to help households cope. Pacific Health Priorities: Health adviser Manase Lua says urgent system change is needed, with wellness, timely access and a stronger Pacific health workforce at the centre. He says community groups are seeing more vulnerable families seeking counselling and support.