- Posted on 20 Mar 2025
- 2-minute read
This year, the Pacific Heads of Nursing and Midwifery (PHoNM) meeting took place in Nadi, Fiji from 17-20 March 2025 under the theme ‘Nurses And Midwives Together: A Force For Global Health’.
Organised by the Pacific Community (SPC), this 5th rendition of the PHoNM had an objective to review, discuss and make recommendations on crucial nursing and midwifery issues in the Pacific region.
The meetings on 18-20 March covered current issues faced by nursing and midwifery in the region: workforce, education, leadership, clinical governance, universal health coverage, health emergencies, and research.
The sessions opened with prayers, a talk on ‘Nurses for life: leading with purpose to propel Nursing into the future’ from Dr Kathryn Zeitz FACN, CEO of the Australian College of Nursing (ACN), remarks from Dr Silina Motofaga representing the Secretariat (SPC), and updates on regional activities from Dr Karen Hammad, Nursing Advisor to the Region (SPC).
Michael Larui, Regional Coordinator for the WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Development at the University of Technology Sydney (WHO CCNM UTS), presented an insightful presentation on ‘An approach to Nursing regulation in the Pacific’ through the Strengthening Health Workforce in the Pacific (SWHP) program.
Michael presented progress updates and upcoming activities on the work being done by WHO CCNM UTS in various countries.
WHO CCNM UTS Director Michele Rumsey was also a panelist on the leadership panel on ‘Barriers and enablers to building leadership in the PICTs’, facilitated by Elizabeth Iro, Strategic Nursing Advisor, SPC.
Tongan CNO Ms. Mele Sii Filise also presented their collective paper on inhibitors and enablers to nursing and midwifery leadership in the Pacific Island collectivist cultures. This leadership panel really emphasised the impact and need of the Pacific Leadership Program hosted at WHO CCNM UTS.
Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officers (CNMOs) from numerous Pacific Islands were in attendance, with some presenting and paneling some of the sessions.
Also in attendance were various partner representatives, officers, academics, and experts from the region, which allowed for deep intersectoral exploration of issues, fruitful discussions, and true knowledge-sharing and collaboration.
Outcomes from this meeting are invaluable, critical to advancing the collaborative efforts of the nursing and midwifery health workforce in the region. Meeting recommendations will be shared by SPC shortly.
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The PLP continues to bring together nurses and midwives from across the Pacific, with aims to address the nursing and midwifery leadership gaps across the health workforce.