Kiribati

Kiribati is a low-lying island nation in the Pacific Ocean, which is already experiencing the consequences of rising sea levels, including flooding, contamination of water sources, and a lack of arable land. These factors have a direct impact on the health of the people of Kiribati; for example, insufficient availability of high-quality fresh food is contributing to high rates of obesity and diabetes. Providing equitable access to health care is challenging because, the country’s islands are scattered across a vast swath of the Pacific.

In response to a request for support from Kiribati’s Ministry of Health, MSF initiated activities in the country in March 2022, as the country reopened its borders after the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the year, our teams worked to strengthen critical care capacity by providing training to key health care workers and supplying critical care equipment.