Since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak was declared a public health emergency by United States authorities in January 2020, PIHOA has been working with the Departments and Ministries of Health in the USAPIs as well as US federal, regional, and international partners to share the latest evidence, prepare for and respond to COVID-19.

This includes tracking the pandemic, advising on critical interventions, coordinating with a wide range of partners, deploying subject matter experts, conducting online clinical training, information dissemination and communication support, and procuring, and shipping diagnostics and personal protective equipment.

Laboratory and Procurement

Laboratory and procurement support for COVID-19 public health surveillance and diagnostic testing include GeneXpert, Abbott ID NOW, Abbott Binax NOW (WHO, CDC IRR, HHS), and other ancillary lab supply procurement and distribution; testing training, QA/QC, validation, and inventory management, monthly Association of USAPI Laboratory Managers virtual meetings to review, update and troubleshoot lab testing strategies and approaches; management of regional reserve of GeneXpert kits to support repatriation testing in Honolulu and other unforeseen events, and laboratory staff deployment to the Guam Public Health Laboratory.

Medical and Other Surge Support

Medical and other surge support provided includes the procurement and shipment of ventilator and oxygen management supplies; Biomed support; disseminating guidance and best-practices for the set-up of isolation facilities and development of protocols; clinical training information dissemination and coordination with partners; and medical surge personnel recruitment in the RMI, on-site lab support in Guam and Pohnpei, on-site administrative support in American Samoa, and on-site Pacific Public Health Fellowship Program support for the vaccine roll-out in Tinian, CNMI.

American Samoa Department of Health

CNMI Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation

Guam Department of Public Health and Social Services

Palau Ministry of Health and Human Services

Chuuk State, FSM

Kosrae State, FSM

Pohnpei State, FSM