THE Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) Head of Research and National Nursing Director Supervising Mrs. Freda Pitakaka Lusi this week (17th-19th March) attended a Commonwealth Advisory Committee on Health (CACH) that brought together selected commonwealth member states technical officials from 56 countries.
The meeting offered a platform for CACH members to discuss and finalize the theme and subthemes for the upcoming 2025 Commonwealth Health Ministerial Meeting, among other key agenda items.
In line with the commitments made during the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa, members of CACH discussed how to take forward health-related actions. This is critical as it will assist in identifying areas that require sustained attention, ensuring that member states remain united in their pursuit of improved health outcomes across the commonwealth.
As part of the meeting held recently, CACH members also discussed the report from the Lancet Oncology Commission on cancer in the Commonwealth. This report presents critical insights and concrete recommendations aimed at addressing cancer disparities within member countries. Given the imminent 2025 UN High-Level Meeting (HLM) on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), the discussions around this report are especially timely, positioning the Commonwealth to make informed contributions to global strategies for tackling these pressing health issues. To elevate the agenda further, a high-level evening event was hosted by the Commonwealth Secretariat General that actively involved High Commissioners and other stakeholders. The involvement of High Commissioners in particular is expected to ensure that commitments made are synchronised across all levels and that member countries work collectively to confront urgent health issues. The Lancet Oncology Commission report was commissioned by Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO Director General, in the advancement of the 37th Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting (CHMM) to be held on 17th May 2025 and the World Health Assembly (WHA) on 19th to 27th May 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland.
National Nursing Director Supervising Mrs. Lusi stated that four sub-themes were agreed upon as part of the Ministers Meeting agenda during the CHMM and WHA, Solomon Islands is being nominated to Chair the fourth sub-theme on “Leveraging Digital Health Innovations to improve Efficiency and Access.” This emerged as a powerful catalyst for transforming healthcare delivery across Commonwealth nations particularly in view of the many small island countries of the Commonwealth.
“The attendance of CACH members is crucial in this meeting as their insights and contributions will be vital in shaping effective policies and collaborative strategies, ultimately reinforcing our shared commitment to advancing health equity and improving the well-being of populations across the Commonwealth”, said Mrs. Lusi.
