WHO-NPEHA Collaborations for Environmental Health Capacity Building in the Northern Pacific

1. WHO-NPEHA Collaborations for Environmental Health Capacity Building in the Northern Pacific Moses Pretrick (NPEHA) Peter Hoejskov and Rokho Kim (WHO)

2. Outline • NPEHA’s needs for capacity building - Moses • WHO support for food safety – Peter • WHO-NPEHA Draft Workplan – Rokho

4. Purposes • Representation and enhancement of the EH profession in the region and Pacific; • Establishment and maintenance of closer ties between EH and healthcare professionals, individuals, groups and supporting organizations in the region and Pacific; • Establishment and maintenance of closer ties between EH and environmental agencies, organizations, groups and individuals in the region and Pacific; • Promotion and support of EH and related health initiatives in the region; • Promotion and support of EH services and infrastructure development in the region; • Promotion and support of continuing education and human resource development in EH; • Promotion of communication and partnerships between EH and community groups/ organizations including the private sector; • Strengthening of data collection, reporting standards and uniform health information systems;

5. Mission The overall mission of NPEHA is to improve the environmental health of the people in the Pacific Region.

6. Membership • Regular members • EH professionals practicing EH or sanitation in CNMI, FSM, Guam, Kiribati, Marshal l Islands, Nauru and Palau. • Associate members • People who are interested in EH or related field (environmental sciences, nursing, etc) may become Associate Members of the association. • Student members • Students enrolled in post-secondary schools studying EH or related field may become Student Member of the association.

7. Executive Committee/ Officers • President (Moses Pretrick- FSM) • Vice President (Tom Nadeau- Guam) • Secretary (John Tagabuel- CNMI) • Treasurer (Eden Uchel- Palau)

8. Meetings • 2005 (Palau) • Develop core competencies for EHOs for food and drinking water safety • 2007 (Guam) • Review food safety legislation • 2010 (Guam) • Review food standards • 2013 (Manila) • Develop strategic plan (2013-2015)

9. Partners • WHO, USFDA, PIHOA and FNU • SPC, FAO, CDC, ASTHO, etc. • Training institutions (COM, UOG, PCC, FNU, etc) • Distant learning (POHLN, etc)

10. EH Workforce in NPEHA Region • CNMI 14 • FSM 42 • Guam 12 • Kiribati 10 • Marshall Islands* 1 • Nauru* 1 • Palau 15 ____________________________ Total 95

11. EH Work Force Education Background • 37% High school diploma • 59% College degree (some,2-yrs,4-yr) • 4% Graduate (Masters)

12. Capacity building in food safety • WHO supported NPEHA meeting in January 2013 • Draft strategic plan for NPEHA 2013-2015 • Focus on food safety and to a lesser extent water quality • Identification of core competencies in food safety and water quality • Mapping of Env. Health Officers’ educational background

13. Next steps • Align and integrate food safety capacity building with broader environmental health priorities • Assess specific needs for capacity building in food safety considering core competencies and current levels of education • Develop in-country and distance learning training courses (POLHN)

14. WHO-NPEHA collaborations in 2014-2015 • Donor: Korea Ministry of Environment • Strategic planning and 1st training workshop in 2014 • 19-21 May. Pohnpei: “Strategic planning” • 6-10 Oct. Koror: “Essential Environmental Health Services” • 2nd NPEHA workshop in 2015 • Hosted by a WHO Collaborating Centre on EH, Korea National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) • Intensive training in climate change and EH

15. National Environmental Health Action Plan • An inter-agency plan to achieve long-term EH strategic objectives. • Provides a roadmap of EH development and a checklist to monitor the country’s progress. • Key areas of Environmental Health to be considered: • Food Safety, Sanitation, Water, Air, Toxic Chemicals and Hazardous Waste, Occupational Health, Solid Waste, Climate Change • Climate change and health – a newly emerging issue

16. Conclusion • NPEHA is a strategically important professional organization for EH development. • PIHOA support is crucial to continue formal collaborations between WHO and NPEHA. • Food safety already identified as a key EH issue. • Workplan is proposed for 2014-2015. • NEHAPs will be developed/updated/implemented under the NPEHA leadership with WHO’s assistance.

17. Thank you very much for your attention.

18. The next slides are not for presentation. They are reserved for possible use during discussions

20. Climate Change and NCDs (McIver and Hanna, in press)

21. Climate change and global cereal production: 1990 to 2080 Range (% change) World -0.6 to -0.9 Developed countries +2.7 to +9.0 Developing countries -3.3 to -7.2 Southeast Asia -2.5 to -7.8 South Asia -18.2to -22.1 Sub-Saharan Africa -3.9 to -7.5 Latin America +5.2 to +12.5 Tubiello and Fischer, 2007

22. 100 Years Ago in Palau- Ibedul Louch

23. Climate-sensitive health risks in PICs (McIver 2012)

24. Climate-sensitive health risks in PICs

25. Sea level rise in Micronesia

26. Maximum temperature change in Chuuk

28. Sea-level rise in Kwajalein (source: L. Jacklick, Majuro WSO)

29. Increasing air temperatures in Majuro (source: L. Jacklick, Majuro WSO)

30. Coastal and low-lying areas • Further rise in sea surface temperature • Intensification of tropical cyclones • Changes in wave and storm surge characteristics • Altered precipitation/run-off • Ocean acidification

31. Conclusion – take home message 31

33. The incidence rates of diarrhoeal diseases in the Pacific island countries are approximately 4 to 5 times that of developed countries such as Australia and New Zealand. The incidence rates of diarrhoeal diseases per 1000 population in the Pacific island countries and Australia and New Zealand, 2002