Pacific Health Observatory

The Pacific Health Observatory(PHO) is an initiative of the Fiji Institute of Pacific Health Research(FIPHR) which aims to support Pacific countries through the dissemination and translation of health research.

Pacific Health Observatory coordinates an online data repository for health research data that is routinely collected from the Pacific. These insights are crucial to forming the robust and effective health policies needed to create resilient and adaptable forward-thinking health systems that are able to consistently deliver affordable health services and programs to all.

The establishment of the PHO was supported by the Australian Government as part of the response to COVID-19.

PHO currently based at the Fiji Institute of Pacific Health Research, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science.

Mission

The mission of the Pacific Health Observatory is to improve the health of Pacific Islanders and reduce inequalities through the provision of relevant, objective and high-quality health intelligence to support decision making and actions for health.

Objectives

The objectives of the Pacific Health Observatory are to:

1. Provide an expanding knowledge base to inform health decisions in the region. This will primarily be through a repository for data and information that can be used to inform decisions for health in the region.
2. Provide relevant and high-quality health intelligence to ensure that decisions made regarding health in the region are based on the best possible information and will deliver the best possible outcomes for Pacific populations.
3. Strengthen the use of existing health data in the region to inform decision making and integrate data from a wide range of sectors.
4. Promote accessibility to health information and intelligence for both health workers and policy makers in the region.
5. Advocate for addressing health inequalities and unmet health needs in the region.

Functions

• Create and maintain a health data repository for the Pacific region which includes data and information on health and its determinants.
• Monitor health and disease trends in the Pacific region and highlight areas for action including inequalities and unmet needs.
• Synthesize data and information from various sources to propose health policies and actions towards improving health.
• Collaborate with a variety of stakeholders to identify projects and research to address priority needs”
• Identify gaps in health information and health information systems through health needs assessments and other evaluations.
• Evaluate progress towards improving health and eliminating inequalities”
• Disseminate health information and intelligence for health workers and decision makers in the region through reports, policy briefs, dashboards, presentation at various fora and other methods “
• Support training of health professionals in analytical methods and situational analyses for public health evaluations”

Benefits of PHO

The PHO will present numerous benefits to the staff and students of the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at the Fiji National University. Some of the key benefits are as follows:

• Strengthen and support the translation of research outputs into teaching and curriculum development within the college
• Provide evidence base Pacific related health information for staff and student anticipating to conduct research in the future
• Strengthen research capability of staff and students
• Support primary and secondary research conducted by staff and students
• Support staff and student in publishing their research into Pacific related health Journal or any other Journal.
• Support staff and student in translating research findings into policy and practise to improve health service deliveries in their own settings.
• Provide field placement to students