AGP Executive Report

Wellness in the air: Fiji Airways has rolled out its FlyWell program, adding Vital Red Light red-light therapy in the Fiji Airways Premier Lounge at Nadi International Airport and on select long-haul flights from Jun 1, 2026, with eligible Business Class access free for the first two months before onboard sales begin Aug 1. Regional health cooperation: In Fiji, Minister Sashi Kiran met Kiribati’s Ruth Cross Kwansing and Secretary Maurintekerapi to align on maternal healthcare, child nutrition, and social protection—aimed at cutting infant mortality and improving support for pregnant mothers. Pacific policy pressure: Kiribati renewed calls for stronger upstream action to tackle the plastic crisis, highlighting how limited capacity and costly recycling exports leave the country dealing with plastic waste that keeps washing ashore. Ongoing context: The week also carried broader Pacific signals on geopolitics and economic strain, but the latest health-focused items were the FlyWell launch and the Kiribati-Fiji maternal health talks.

Pacific Islands Forum Watch: Leaders will meet in Palau from August 30 to September 4 for the 55th Pacific Islands Forum on “Building Economies: Life, Action, Unity,” with big geopolitical stakes as China and the United States compete for influence and regional tension shapes priorities across Polynesian, Micronesian, and Melanesian countries. Maternal Health & Child Nutrition: In Fiji, Kiribati’s women and social protection officials met with Fiji’s Minister Sashi Kiran to align on maternal healthcare, nutrition, and social welfare support—aimed at cutting infant mortality and improving care for pregnant mothers. Pacific Health in Conflict Zones: A Singapore emergency doctor described treating wounded people in Gaza, including a boy who lost both parents and later required repeated amputations after infection from a shortage of antibiotics. Economy & Health Pressure: The World Bank warns Pacific growth is slowing, with fuel costs, debt, and repeated shocks keeping incomes below pre-pandemic trends—conditions that can strain health services. Plastic Crisis Context: Kiribati is pushing for stronger upstream action as plastic waste continues to pile up locally, adding pressure to limited waste systems.

Pacific Islands Forum: Leaders will meet in Palau from August 30 to September 4, with “Building Economies: Life, Action, Unity” on the agenda—and big geopolitical stakes as China and the U.S. compete for influence across the Indo-Pacific. Maternal and child health push: Fiji and Kiribati are aligning on maternal healthcare, nutrition, and social protection to cut infant deaths and improve care for pregnant mothers. Economy and health pressure: The World Bank warns Pacific growth is slowing as fuel costs, weaker tourism, inflation, and repeated global shocks bite—conditions that can quickly spill into household health and access to services. Plastic crisis: Kiribati is calling for stronger upstream action, saying plastic waste is piling up daily while limited land and treatment options leave communities stuck with downstream impacts. Care in climate planning: A reminder that care services are often missing from adaptation plans, even as El Niño-linked drought, flooding, and disease threaten the most vulnerable.

War-zone medicine: A Singapore emergency doctor, Lim Chin Siah, has just returned from treating patients with Doctors Without Borders in Gaza, where shortages of antibiotics left a 12-year-old boy needing repeated amputations after a foot injury worsened. Plastic crisis push: Kiribati is calling for stronger global “upstream” action to tackle plastic pollution, warning that daily beach plastic and limited local treatment options are overwhelming waste systems. Pacific health and money pressures: The World Bank says Pacific growth is slowing as fuel costs, debt, weaker tourism and repeated shocks keep incomes from bouncing back. Maternal health teamwork: Fiji and Kiribati are coordinating on reducing infant deaths by strengthening maternal care, nutrition and social protection systems. Climate-care gap: A new focus is emerging on why care services for children, older people and people with disabilities are often missing from climate adaptation plans. Toxic water advocacy: A Camp Lejeune water contamination survivor is using AI and music to keep pressure on compensation efforts.

Frontline care in war zones: Singapore emergency doctor Lim Chin Siah has just returned from a three-month stint with Doctors Without Borders in Gaza, where he treated severe injuries amid antibiotic shortages—one case he still remembers is a 12-year-old boy who lost both parents and ultimately required multiple amputations after an infection from rubble. Kiribati plastic push: Kiribati is calling for stronger global “upstream” action to tackle the plastic crisis, warning that as a downstream country it faces daily beach wash-ups and limited options to treat or export waste. Pacific health and money pressures: The World Bank says Pacific growth is slowing as fuel costs, debt and repeated shocks keep incomes below pre-pandemic trends—an issue that can squeeze health services when disasters hit. Maternal health cooperation: Fiji and Kiribati are coordinating on maternal care, nutrition and social protection to cut infant deaths and improve support for pregnant mothers. Climate care gap: A new focus is emerging on adding care services into climate adaptation plans, since extreme weather can disrupt health support most for young children, older people and people with disabilities.

Plastic crisis push: Kiribati is calling for stronger global “upstream” action as plastic pollution keeps piling up locally—about 13% of the waste stream is plastic, with studies estimating 9.7 tonnes generated every day, while limited land and treatment options leave landfilling as the main option. Pacific health focus: Fiji and Kiribati are working together to cut infant deaths and improve care for pregnant mothers, with talks on maternal health, nutrition, and social protection systems. Economy under pressure: The World Bank warns Pacific growth is losing momentum, with uncertainty and rising inflation expected to keep growth below 3% in 2026. Care in climate plans: A new push argues climate adaptation must include care services in national planning, since El Niño risks hit children, older people, and people with disabilities hardest. Ongoing justice fight: A Camp Lejeune water contamination survivor is using AI and music to keep pressure on U.S. compensation efforts.

Plastic crisis push: Kiribati is calling for stronger global action upstream as plastic waste keeps piling up locally—officials say about 9.7 tonnes of plastic are generated each day, with limited treatment options leaving landfills and the environment under heavy pressure. Pacific health focus: Fiji and Kiribati are working together to cut infant deaths and improve care for pregnant mothers, with talks on maternal health, child nutrition, and social protection systems. Economy and health risk: The World Bank warns Pacific growth is slowing as fuel costs, weaker tourism, inflation, and repeated shocks bite—growth could dip below 3% in 2026—raising pressure on household wellbeing and public services. Care planning gap: A new look at climate adaptation says care services are still missing from National Adaptation Plans and NDCs, even though climate extremes hit children, older people, and people with disabilities hardest. Ongoing justice: A Camp Lejeune water contamination survivor is using AI and music to keep pressure on U.S. compensation efforts, highlighting how long health claims can drag on.

Plastic Crisis Push: Kiribati is calling for stronger global upstream action as plastic waste keeps piling up locally—about 9.7 tonnes a day—overwhelming limited treatment options and land space. Pacific Economic Strain: A new World Bank update warns growth across the Pacific is losing momentum, with uncertainty, high fuel costs, inflation, and repeated shocks keeping incomes below pre-pandemic trends. Maternal Health Collaboration: Fiji and Kiribati are coordinating on maternal care, child nutrition, and social protection to cut infant deaths and improve support for pregnant mothers. Climate-Health Gap: Coverage highlights that care services are still missing from climate adaptation plans, even as El Niño-linked drought, flooding, and disease risks threaten the most vulnerable. Health Advocacy Through Media: A Camp Lejeune water contamination survivor is using AI and music to push for compensation and attention to long-term health harms. Regional Security Talks: The Cook Islands and New Zealand have restarted defence and security cooperation after a China-related spat.

Plastic Crisis Push: Kiribati says it’s “downstream” in the plastic lifecycle, with limited land and treatment options, while plastic waste washes up daily—about 13% of its waste stream is plastic, adding roughly 9.7 tonnes every day—urging stronger global upstream action as talks on a legally binding marine plastic deal move into their second session (INC-2). Economic Pressure on Health: A World Bank update warns Pacific growth is losing momentum, with uncertainty and inflation keeping incomes below pre-pandemic trends—fuel costs and repeated shocks are squeezing governments and households, including in places where health services already struggle. Maternal and Child Care Link-Up: Fiji and Kiribati are coordinating on maternal health, nutrition, and social protection to cut infant deaths and improve care for pregnant mothers, building on regional partnerships. Climate Adaptation Gap: Older coverage highlights a key concern: care services for children, older people, and people with disabilities are still missing from many climate plans like NAPs and NDCs.

Plastic Crisis Push: Kiribati says it’s “downstream” in the plastic lifecycle, with about 13% of its waste stream plastic and roughly 9.7 tonnes piling up daily in landfills and the environment—made worse by limited space, few treatment options, and costly recycling exports. Global Economy Pressure: A new World Bank update warns Pacific growth is losing momentum, with uncertainty and inflation keeping 2026 growth likely below 3%, as repeated shocks become a pattern rather than a one-off. Maternal and Child Health: Fiji and Kiribati are coordinating on maternal care, child nutrition and social protection to cut infant deaths and improve support for pregnant mothers. Climate-Health Planning Gap: Older coverage highlights that care services are still missing from climate adaptation plans like NAPs and NDCs, even as El Niño-linked drought, flooding and disease risks rise. Camp Lejeune Advocacy: A survivor is using AI and music to push for faster action on compensation for toxic water harm, but the broader legislative fix remains stuck.

Plastic crisis talks: Kiribati is calling for stronger global action upstream to tackle plastic pollution, warning that with limited land and treatment options, the country is stuck dealing with plastic that washes ashore—about 13% of its waste stream, adding roughly 9.7 tonnes of plastic each day to landfills and the environment. Pacific economy pressure: A new World Bank update says growth across the Pacific is losing momentum, with fuel costs, weaker tourism, inflation, and repeated global shocks pushing the region’s 2026 growth likely below 3%. Maternal and child health push: Fiji and Kiribati are coordinating on reducing infant deaths, improving care for pregnant mothers, and strengthening nutrition and social protection systems. Climate adaptation gap: One ongoing theme is that care services are still largely missing from climate planning like National Adaptation Plans and NDCs, even as El Niño risks hit children and vulnerable groups hardest.

Plastic crisis push: Kiribati is calling for stronger global action upstream to stop plastic pollution at the source, warning that plastic makes up about 13% of its waste stream and that roughly 9.7 tonnes are generated every day—overwhelming limited local treatment options and adding pressure as more plastic washes onto beaches. Pacific economic strain: The World Bank says Pacific growth is losing momentum, with fuel costs, weaker tourism, inflation, and repeated shocks keeping incomes below pre-pandemic trends and growth likely dipping under 3% in 2026. Maternal health focus: Fiji and Kiribati are coordinating on maternal healthcare, child nutrition, and social protection to cut infant deaths and improve support for pregnant mothers. Climate and care services: A Pacific-wide message is emerging that care services for children, older people, and people with disabilities are still missing from climate adaptation plans like NAPs and NDCs.

Plastic crisis push: Kiribati is calling for stronger global action upstream to stop plastic pollution before it reaches the ocean, warning that daily beach wash-up is overwhelming local waste systems. Pacific health and growth pressure: A World Bank update says Pacific economies are losing momentum as fuel costs, weaker tourism, inflation, and repeated global shocks keep growth below pre-pandemic levels. Maternal health teamwork: Fiji and Kiribati are coordinating on maternal care, child nutrition, and social protection to cut infant deaths and improve support for pregnant mothers. Care in climate planning: A Pacific-focused discussion highlights that “care services” for children, older people, and people with disabilities are still missing from climate adaptation plans. Ongoing justice for toxic water: A Camp Lejeune survivor is using AI and music to advocate for compensation, as affected veterans continue to seek fixes through stalled processes.

Pacific Economy Pressure: The World Bank says Pacific growth is still sliding, with fuel costs, weaker tourism, inflation and repeated global shocks pushing the region to likely fall below 3% in 2026—growth this decade expected to stay about a full percentage point under the 2010s pace. Maternal Health Push: Fiji and Kiribati are teaming up to cut infant deaths, with talks focused on better care for pregnant mothers, stronger nutrition programs and social protection systems. Care in Climate Planning: A Pacific-focused policy message warns that care services are often missing from climate adaptation plans, even as El Niño-linked drought, flooding and disease threaten young children and older people. Camp Lejeune Advocacy: A Camp Lejeune water contamination survivor is using AI and music to push for compensation for those still affected by toxic water. Regional Context: This week’s coverage also points to ongoing Pacific cooperation and governance work, but the biggest health-linked thread is the push to strengthen maternal and child support systems.

Pacific Economy Watch: The World Bank warns Pacific growth is still sliding, with fuel costs, weaker tourism, inflation and repeated global shocks pushing the region below 3% growth in 2026 and keeping incomes stuck under pre-pandemic trends. Maternal and Child Health Push: Fiji and Kiribati are working together to cut infant deaths, with talks on strengthening maternal care, nutrition and social protection systems. Care in Climate Planning: A new focus is emerging on adding care services into National Adaptation Plans and climate targets, after warnings that heat, drought, flooding and disease hit children, older people and people with disabilities hardest. Measles Alert (Kiribati link): Health officials are urging vigilance after measles cases in the region, stressing the virus can spread fast and “is only one flight away” for Pacific communities. What’s Next: Coverage on Kiribati-specific health actions is limited in the past day, but the infant-death and measles warnings are the clearest signals right now.

Pacific maternal push: Fiji and Kiribati have teamed up to cut infant deaths, with Women and Social Protection leaders meeting in Fiji to align maternal healthcare, child nutrition, and social welfare support for pregnant mothers and young children. Care in climate planning: A Pacific-focused push is also underway to make sure climate adaptation plans actually include care services—because heat, drought, flooding, and disease don’t just harm health, they disrupt the systems families rely on. Measles alert: In New Zealand, health officials are on high alert after a third measles case linked to a Newtown deli, warning anyone who visited on 19 April (5:30pm–8:23pm) to watch for symptoms until 10 May—an urgent reminder that measles can spread fast across the Pacific. What’s next for Kiribati: With measles already a concern regionally, the key question is whether local exposure tracing and vaccination coverage can keep up.