Since January Australia has been working closely with the Solomon Islands Government and medical community to prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 global health threat.
Australia has provided the following:
- We quickly mobilised a specialist public health physician in February to support the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) to develop a COVID-19 Operational Plan. The Plan, approved by the Solomon Islands Cabinet, outlines priority activities required in future planning for any COVID-19 outbreak.
- We provided COVID-19 specific funding to the World Health Organisation (WHO) to ensure the Solomon Islands has an adequate supply of Personal Protective Equipment, essential medical equipment, and to set up a quarantine facility.
- We funded specialist WHO technical advisers to support outbreak management, health communications, and an assessment of the laboratory capability at the National Referral Hospital.
- We are funding two prefabricated units at Henderson Airport that will be used to quarantine high-risk travellers for a 14 day period. These units will supplement the capacity of the current quarantine facility. Work has commenced on these two units, the first of which should be ready to use next week.
- Our ongoing Health Sector Support Program provides approximately SBD 63 million annually to the Solomon Islands Government for health services. We have supported the training of doctors, nurses, and public health officers, who are now at the frontline of the COVID-19 response.
Australia is proud to stand with the Solomon Islands as we continue to work together to put in place preparations to protect the community from this global health threat.
