Pacific Island Health Officers Association

03/30/2026

🌴 We’re proud to highlight Dr. Matthew Lopez, a Saipan-raised physician who is making a powerful impact in advancing healthcare access for Pacific Island communities.

From his roots in the CNMI to global medical training experiences, Dr. Lopez remains grounded in his mission to serve underserved populations across the Pacific. As a National Health Service Corps Scholar, he is helping bridge gaps in care, bringing a whole-person approach to patients of all ages.

🗣️ “Growing up in Saipan, I saw firsthand the barriers to access that many families experience. Those early experiences shaped my calling to serve those whom the healthcare system often leaves behind.”

💡 His journey reflects the importance of investing in and uplifting Pacific Islander health professionals who are committed to returning home and strengthening our regional health systems.

🔗 Read more in our latest e-blast: https://conta.cc/3NAbtIF

Email from Pacific Island Health Officers Association (PIHOA) For Immediate Release March 30, 2026 Dr. Matthew Lopez - A Saipan-Raised Physician Championing Healthcare Access for Pacific Island Commun

03/13/2026

03/13/2026

📊 Kosrae NCD Data Dissemination Workshop Advances Evidence-Based Action

From November 25–26, 2025, the Kosrae Department of Health Services convened more than 40 leaders, clinicians, and partners to review findings from Kosrae’s Adult Hybrid Survey and Rapid Youth Survey, strengthening local capacity to analyze and use NCD surveillance data.

With support from the PIHOA Secretariat, stakeholders discussed emerging NCD trends, priority risk factors, and evidence-based actions to guide strategic planning and improve population health outcomes in Kosrae.

👏 Congratulations to the Kosrae DHS team for their continued leadership in advancing data-driven NCD prevention and control.

🔗 Read more here: https://conta.cc/4b9jcpT

Email from Pacific Island Health Officers Association (PIHOA) For Immediate Release March 13, 2026 Kosrae NCD Data Dissemination Workshop Advances Evidence-Based Action Photo: Attendees at the Kosrae

03/13/2026

On March 11, the RMI Ministry of Health and Human services welcomed partners to collaborate on strengthening the country’s nursing talent pipeline. 💪🏾

Representatives from the Hawaii/Pacific Basin Area Health Education Center, College of the Marshall Islands, Public School System, RMI Scholarship Board, and PIHOA came together to explore pathways that support the development of future nurses.👩🏽‍⚕️

Key discussions focused on engaging high school health academies and developing a new Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) program as important entry points into the nursing profession.

Partners also agreed to develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to formalize collaboration and clarify roles in advancing efforts to grow and sustain RMI’s nursing workforce, supporting the long-term health and wellbeing of the Marshallese community. 🇲🇭

Photo (L-R): TK Keju, MOHHS Health Policy Administrator; Cerina Mariano, PIHOA Grants Manager; Edlen Anzures, MOHHS Deputy Secretary; Kenneth Fernando, PSS Associate Commissioner Secondary and Career Education; Edward Alfonso, CMI Dean of Academic Affairs; Dr. Yvette Paulino, PIHOA Consultant; Jean Schneider, PIHOA Regional HRH Coordinator; Dr. Ola Ajaji, MOHHS PHIG Team Lead Consultant; Romalynn Maddison-Heine, MOHHS HR Director; Josephine Matthew, Assistant Secretary Nursing; Angie Laaw, CMI FAO Assistant Director; Maureen Emil, MOHHS HR Professional Development Coordinator; Elizabeth Jenwai, Director, RMI Scholarship Board; & (on Zoom, not pictured) Dr. Kelley Withy, AHEC and CN Diana Tiapon from Kawajalein Atoll Health Care Services

03/11/2026

🌏 From December 10–12, 2025, health workforce development leaders and human resources representatives from across the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPIs) gathered in Guam, for the launch and inaugural convening of the USAPI Regional Health Workforce Development Technical Working Group (TWG).

Convened by the PIHOA Secretariat in partnership with Pacific Islands Primary Care Association (PIPCA), 30 representatives from American Samoa, Guam, Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, Yap, Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands came together with a shared purpose to strengthen and coordinate regional approaches to building a resilient, well-supported health workforce for the Pacific.

🔗 Read the full story: https://conta.cc/40mTU1p

🤝🏾 de Beaumont Foundation, ASTHO (Association of State and Territorial Health Officials), Pacific-Community-SPC, Hawaii/Pacific Basin Area Health Education Center, Guam Community College, University of Guam - UOG, and PIPCA

Email from Pacific Island Health Officers Association (PIHOA) For Immediate Release March 11, 2026 USAPI Health Workforce Development Technical Working Group Holds Inaugural Regional Meeting in Guam

02/28/2026

✨ We’re Hiring! Our Quarterly Job Opportunities E-Blast is now out, featuring current vacancies supporting health systems strengthening across the USAPI region. 🌏📊

If you’re passionate about advancing public health in the Pacific or know someone who is, we encourage you to apply and share with your networks. 🌴🏥

🔗 Read the full e-blast here: https://conta.cc/4sAQqob

Email from Pacific Island Health Officers Association (PIHOA) Current Opportunities February 2026   # # # About the Pacific Islands Health Officers' Association PIHOA's mission is to improve the health

02/27/2026

🎉 Kinisou to the Department of Health Services, State of Chuuk for inviting PIHOA to take part in the PH WINS workshop, facilitated by de Beaumont Foundation and ASTHO (Association of State and Territorial Health Officials).

Participants recently explored the PH WINS dashboard, dove into workforce data, and shared rich discussions on workforce needs, gaps, and priorities, strengthening capacity and collaboration across the region 🤝🏾📊

02/25/2026

From December 8–12, 2025, the PIHOA Secretariat conducted an Early Warning System (EWS) Dengue Outbreak Readiness Workshop in Palau. 🇵🇼

In collaboration with Ministry of Health & Human Services - Republic of Palau (MHHS) Division of Environmental Health, the workshop operationalized dengue protocols into Standard Operating Procedures, established Palau-specific alert thresholds, and strengthened entomological analysis and response capacity.

Chief Calvin Johanes, Division of Environmental Health, Ministry of Health and Human Services, shared:

“This operation reinforces the importance of developing standards. Standards that will enable us to carry out our vector management plan and that need-to-know-how basis are followed on the same beats and tempos.”

Through hands-on training, simulation exercises, and deployment of a thermal fogger, Palau’s vector team enhanced preparedness to detect and respond to dengue risks early, protecting communities across the island. 🌴

🔗 Read the full e-blast here: https://conta.cc/4kZePB5

Email from Pacific Island Health Officers Association (PIHOA) For Immediate Release February 25, 2026 Palau Improves Dengue Outbreak Readiness with Early Warning System Training Workshop PIHOA vector

02/13/2026

📅 Stay connected with PIHOA!

Check out our February 2026 Calendar of Events E-Blast for a full list of upcoming meetings and key public health gatherings happening across the region. Don’t miss these important opportunities to connect, collaborate, and strengthen public health systems in the USAPI 💪🏾🌴

🔗 PIHOA E-Blast: https://conta.cc/3OcLjLS

Email from Pacific Island Health Officers Association (PIHOA) Upcoming Meetings and Events February 2026 February February 10-14, 2026 National Association for Public Health Statistics and Informatio

02/11/2026

📢 Registration is NOW OPEN for the 78th PIHOA Executive Board Meeting!

📅 Join us April 13–17, 2026 in Honolulu.

Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with health leaders from across the USAPI region as we come together to strengthen public health systems, partnerships, and regional collaboration. 🤝🏾

🔗 Register here: https://conta.cc/3MATrFu

Email from Pacific Island Health Officers Association (PIHOA)   Eventbrite – Register Here # # # About the Pacific Islands Health Officers' Association PIHOA's mission is to improve the health and well-

01/30/2026

Faʻafetai tele lava to the American Samoa Department of Health, de Beaumont Foundation, and ASTHO (Association of State and Territorial Health Officials) for inviting PIHOA to participate in last week’s Public Health Workforce Interests and Needs Survey (PH WINS) dissemination. Participants discussed public health workforce data and identified key priority areas to support workforce planning. 🩺🇦🇸

📍 More to come from Chuuk and Yap next week

01/29/2026

✨ The Pacific Public Health Fellowship Program (PPHFP) has launched its official newsletter, highlighting fellowship activities, participant stories, and regional public health workforce development efforts across the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands 🌊🌴

This edition highlights the accomplishments of PIHOA's PPHFP Cohort 4, who over the past two years, has strengthened USAPI public health capacity, and successfully transitioned into local roles within USAPI Ministries and Departments of Health. We invite you to help celebrate the PPHFP contributions and milestones of our Cohort 4 Fellow Graduates 🎉

🗞️ Read the first issue below: PPHFP Newsletter – 2025 Graduation Highlights (Cohort 4), January 2026

🔗https://www.pihoa.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/PPHFP-Newsletter_Jan2026.pdf