Michael Larui with the WHO CC NM UTS team and interns.
Last week, the World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre for Nursing, Midwifery, and Health Development University of Technology, Sydney (WHO CC NM UTS) had the pleasure of hosting Michael Larui, the Chief Nursing Officer of Solomon Islands, and Karen Hammad, Nursing Advisor for the Pacific Community (SPC). As key contributors to improving the health of the Pacific, Michael Larui and Karen Hammad are critical partners to the Centre’s work in the region.
The Centre is a recent funding recipient of the Department of Foreign Affairs’ (DFAT) five-year Partnerships for a Healthy Region (PHR) initiative, and are implementing the ‘Strengthening Health Workforce in the Pacific’ (SHWP) program to improve nursing and midwifery capacity in the region to deliver quality and standardised health for all.
Left to right: Di Brown (WHO CC NM UTS Professor), Karen Hammad, Michael Larui, Michele Rumsey (WHO CC NM UTS Director)
As nurses and midwives make up 75% of the Pacific health workforce, this funding and the resulting program will allow nurses and midwives to build capacity, retain and increase human resource in their health systems, and tackle emerging and future population health needs facing the Pacific.
Michael Larui will be working with the Centre as a consultant for the Pacific Region. Additionally, the Centre is excited to collaborate with key partner, SPC and their nurse advisor Karen Hammad. Their knowledge, expertise, and invaluable experience in improving the lives of the Pacific population will be cherished assets in the delivery of the SHWP program.