USAID assistance is supporting Pacific Island countries to prevent the spread and mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. USAID programs enable risk-communications, hygiene promotion, and handwashing; the prevention and control of infectious diseases in health facilities; and logistics support to move essential medical supplies and personnel. U.S. assistance is enhancing the capacity of civil society organizations to combat disinformation and protect the rights of vulnerable and marginalized populations.

USAID support is also boosting partner countries’ resilience and their ability to respond to the economic and social impacts of the pandemic. Health-related assistance is strengthening laboratory systems, activating case-finding and event-based surveillance, and supporting technical experts for pandemic response and preparedness. In addition, USAID has provided technical assistance to vaccine deployment efforts throughout the region. To further advance global health security, USAID improves prevention, detection, and response capacities in the Pacific Island region to minimize threats posed by emerging infectious diseases.

Papua New Guinea has the highest rate of HIV/AIDS in the Pacific Islands region. USAID works with the government and civil society and seeks to reach full epidemic control by improving retention, achieving viral load suppression, and transitioning to a sustainable domestic financing and civil society-led response.