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Pacific Island health officers meet • Sec. Villagomez elected PIHOA president
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Posted on Sep 29 1999
The biannual meeting of the Pacific Islands Health officers Association (PIHOA) was held in Kolonia, Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia on Sept. 20 to 24, 1999.
PIHOA is made up of the head of the health department for the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshalls, the Republic of Palau, the territories of Guam, American Samoa and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Dedicated to the health and well being of Pacific Island populations, PIHOA serves as a unifying voice and credible authority on issues of regional significance that is attained through collaborative and cooperative efforts in capacity building, advocacy, and policy development to provide medical care, promote health lifestyles, prevent disease and injury, and protect the environment.
During a meeting in Pohnpei, CNMI Health Secretary Joseph Kevin Villagomez was elected president of PIHOA. Other officers elected were Joseph Tufa, director of Health for American Samoa, vice president; while Masao Ueda, minister of health for the Republic of Palau, secretary; Eliuel Pretrick, secretary of health, education and social affairs for the Federated States of Micronesia, treasurer.
The term of office for elected directors is two years.
Also confirmed during the PIHOA meeting was Dr. Stephen Karel as the association’s new executive director.
The recently concluded meeting was well attended by representatives from several agencies under the US Department of Health and Human Services namely the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Human Resources and Service Administration, US Public Health Service, Region IX, and the Office of International and Refugee Health.
The Department of the Interior was also represented. International health agencies like the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, World Health Organization and Asian Development Bank.
Private agencies involved in the delivery of healthcare for the region were also present.
The next meeting is scheduled for February 2000 in the Republic of Palau.
