Mrs. Margaret Leong4, Mr Lalomilo Varea4, Mrs. Melanie Wratten4, Dr Peta-Anne Zimmerman3,5,6, Dr Matt Mason1,2,3
1School of Health, University of The Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Australia, 2Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research, Sippy Downs, Australia, 3Collaboration for the Advancement of Infection Prevention and Control, Australia, 4The Pacific Community, Nadi, Fiji, 5School of Nursing and Midwifery, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia, 6Infection Control Department, Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service, Gold Coast, Australia
Biography:
Margaret and Matt, both Board Directors of ACIPC and technical advisers to GOARN, have extensive careers in IPC with broad experience across many clinical and non-clinical settings. Margaret is the IPC focal point for the Pacific Community, while Matt is a Lecturer at the University of the Sunshine Coast.
Abstract:
Problem/Issue
Appropriate Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) staffing is recognised globally as essential for health system resilience. While Pacific nations have updated national IPC guidelines to align with regional standards, limited data documenting Pacific IPC staffing levels exists.
Approach
The Pacific Community conducted an online survey of Pacific Island nations during the 2023 and 2025 PICNet meetings, obtaining permission from each Ministry of Health for data collection and reporting.
Results
A total of 28 responses from 14 Pacific Island countries were analysed to evaluate IPC staffing. Most countries reported having a designated national IPC focal point, although the formalisation and full-time status varied. Fiji, Samoa, and Vanuatu exhibited comparatively strong IPC staffing, with four or more full-time facility-level IPC staff in major hospitals. Conversely, smaller nations such as Niue, Nauru, and Tuvalu often relied on a single part-time IPC officer, who frequently had additional clinical duties. Throughout the region, IPC roles ranged from officer to national manager, yet many respondents pointed out a lack of formal job descriptions and career pathways. Many IPC staff possessed nursing qualifications, with a substantial proportion completing postgraduate IPC training or hand hygiene auditor certification.
Conclusions
Despite identified strengths, persistent challenges include limited dedicated staffing, variable training opportunities, and unclear national IPC leadership structures. These findings highlight ongoing workforce gaps and capacity-building needs across Pacific IPC programmes.
Lessons Learned
The unique geographical and resource constraints of Pacific Island countries necessitate tailored IPC staffing approaches to address these specific challenges.