Department of Health
The Department of Health’s draft Strategic plan has 4 key goals:
1. Protect the health of our population
2. Protect our environment
3. Develop an Efficient and Effective health system
4. Develop our Workforce
The objectives we will use to achieve a healthy population are:
- Improve service delivery through improved Primary Care
- Improve the health of our population through Public Health programmes.
- Minimize the incidence and onset of chronic disease
- Keep our youth safe
- Improve outcomes associated with chronic disease
- Build relationships internally and externally, that will enhance commitment to
- Tokelau
- Promote awareness of Public Health
- Enable Taupulega/Village/Nuku and families to make informed lifestyle decisions
- Promote environmental safety
- Improve food security, sanitation, water and waste hygiene
Addressing the four key goals means we will be addressing public health issues, strengthening our health system so that we can provide good safe primary care.
Key Critical success factors are:
1. Tokelau & Donor agency resourcing
2. Engagement by Taupulega & Villages
3. Participation by Communities
We aim to integrate the principles of sustainable development into policy and programmes and work with Department of Economic Development, Natural Resources and Environment to also ensure the health issues associated with such developments are interwoven. Protecting our environment and ensuring robust inter departmental/inter atoll planning regarding climate change and natural disasters are incorporated for national outcomes.
Workforce is key to delivery of the THSP and the Department is committed to developing a workforce that meets the needs of the current and future population.
A number of actions with measurable outcomes supported by a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework have been developed for the next five years in each of the key goal areas. These actions will require a whole of Government and Whole of Community approach for Family Centred outcomes that will encourage ownership, choice and change by each of the communities across the country.
The indicators and targets identify the high level outcomes the department intends to achieve and is closely linked with the Tokelau Health Strategic Plan (2009 - 2010) and Donor agency strategic funded outcomes.
The Department of Health – Tokelau wishes to provide the following advice to all travellers to Tokelau:
1. It is strongly advised that Travellers to Tokelau take out Travel Insurance due to the many factors that can cause disruption such as Cyclones, other Natural Disasters, Medivac or change to the Boat Schedules
2. Travellers will need to bring their own medication for the duration of their travel for any health issues they have plus a clinical summary
3. Sea-legs for the travel on the boat
4. Hand Sanitisers/Baby Wipes
5. Insect Repellent
6. Simple Dressings/Plaster
7. Topical Solutions (Betadine) for skin infections, mainly from Mosquito’s (Best advice is not to scratch)
8. Sun-Screen
Provision of the above items is the responsibility of each Traveller.
We also want to emphasise, that whilst in transit in Samoa to note that Typhoid is endemic in the drinking water, so they need to drink bottled water, boil all drinking water and practice strict Hand Hygiene.
On arrival in Samoa, the Department would ask that Travellers bring their Health Forms to the Department.
The Department will attempt to screen passengers on Departure but screening will also be carried out by Health Staff locally on arrival.
If Travellers feel unwell with the following symptoms such as Headache, Sore Throat, Joint ache, Nausea, Vomiting, Difficulty in breathing, Diarrhoea, they are to let the local Medical Officer know immediately.
For more information contact:
Director of Health: