The World Bank and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have announced a transformative partnership to co-finance a $239.5 million initiative aimed at tackling Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in the Pacific region, with Fiji designated as the operational hub. Dubbed the Pacific Healthy Islands Transformation (PHIT) project, this initiative seeks to fundamentally enhance Fiji’s health sector and confront one of the most urgent health challenges facing the region today.
In a joint announcement held in Manila, World Bank President Ajay Banga and ADB President Masato Kanda underscored that the PHIT project marks the largest single operation undertaken by the World Bank Group within the Pacific. The World Bank will spearhead this collaboration, which is set to modernize primary health care infrastructures and construct a cutting-edge regional hospital. This development aims to broaden access to critical treatments for conditions like cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes, which significantly impact Pacific communities.
Fiji’s Minister for Finance, Esrom Immanuel, conveyed his optimism regarding the project’s potential to enhance both primary and tertiary care levels, stressing a focus on improving access to quality health services and managing NCDs effectively. A central aspect of the initiative is the new Colonial War Memorial Hospital, designed with climate-resilient and gender-responsive features to meet the region’s pressing demand for contemporary health facilities.
President Banga anticipates that the PHIT project will benefit roughly two million people and create around 11,000 jobs across several Pacific nations, including Fiji, Tonga, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Nauru, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.
This launch also introduces the new Full Mutual Reliance Framework (FMRF), established earlier this year, which streamlines project financing by enabling member countries to partner with a single lead lender, either the ADB or the World Bank. This collaborative approach is designed to enhance implementation efficiency, lower transaction costs, and ensure compliance with high policy standards.
By advancing the PHIT project, the World Bank and ADB demonstrate a strong commitment to addressing critical health disparities in the Pacific, fostering integrated health systems that bolster community well-being. This substantial investment signifies a hopeful stride towards a healthier future for Pacific nations, showcasing the power of international collaboration in addressing significant health issues.