World Bank Health Funding for Kiribati: The US$14 million Kiribati Health Systems Strengthening Project has been approved, aiming to upgrade hospitals, health centres and clinics, train health workers, and strengthen health information systems—targeting both non-communicable diseases and the strain of serving remote outer islands. Dengue Prevention with Wolbachia: A new regional focus highlights how Wolbachia can help curb dengue transmission across Asia and the Pacific, stressing that success depends on clear roles, mosquito release choices, strong monitoring, and steady community involvement. Safe Water Still a Major Gap: A global map review shows that more than 2 billion people still lack safely managed drinking water, with access far below 20% in several low-income countries—an issue that matters for Pacific health planning. Gender-Based Violence Data: A global roundup points to extremely high rates of violence against women in several countries, including Kiribati listed among the Pacific nations facing severe, measurable gender-based violence. Regional Health Research Spotlight: Pacific experts met at the Te Poutoko Ora Kiwa Research Symposium 2026, sharing progress such as strong uptake of HPV self-testing and discussing barriers like limited radiotherapy access and mental health stigma. Regional Fisheries Meeting (Context): The FFC ministerial meeting in Wellington concluded, but it’s not a health-focused update for Kiribati this week.