The Pacific Islands Health Research Symposium (PIHRS) continues to provide a critical platform for researchers to identify pressing health challenges in the region and explore practical solutions.

Fiji National University’s (FNU) Head of the School of Health Sciences, Assistant Professor Raymond Keshwan, said the symposium has evolved significantly in both organization and the relevance of topics discussed.

“There has been a big change in the scientific work that we are doing. We are talking about the Pacific and facing the Pacific realities. And if we have the problems, then obviously we need to be leaders in solving those problems,” he said.

He added that while technical discussions were important, the symposium also emphasised the need to address fundamental issues.

“At the crux of it all, we are still struggling with basic infrastructure and the need for us to improve at the ground level if we want to start making those changes,” he noted.

Assistant Professor Keshwan praised PIHRS as an important platform for knowledge-sharing.

“PIHRS is a good platform where we can share experiences. We’ve had some very humble people who have come from overseas to share their expertise,” he said.

Among the participants was Dr. Jauncy Robert Hakwa from Vanuatu, who attended PIHRS for the first time. He said the experience exceeded his expectations.

“I didn’t know what to expect, but I don’t regret coming to Fiji to attend the symposium. I’ve learned a lot. The session I really enjoyed the most was Dr. Joseph Kado’s talk on rheumatic heart disease. I find it really relevant to my setting and to my village, because we have kids with rheumatic heart disease. It will certainly influence how I practice medicine,” Dr. Hakwa said.

He added that the concise format of the presentations kept the sessions engaging and impactful.

“Because this is my first time at the symposium, my expectations were that the talks would be longer, and you know how sometimes when talks are longer, people tend to fall asleep or lose focus. I find this symposium good because everyone is on a time constraint, and the presentations are to the point. I find that good compared to other symposiums I’ve been to.”

Dr. Hakwa said he hopes to attend future symposium and would encourage colleagues from Vanuatu and across the Pacific to do the same.

PIHRS is an annual conference of Pacific health researchers where they meet to present their research on Pacific health issues and challenges. It was first launched in 2011 to provide a platform for staff and students to showcase their research.