Type | Journal Article - Pac Health Dialog |
Title | A review of health leadership and management capacity in the Solomon Islands |
Author(s) | |
Volume | 18 |
Issue | 1 |
Publication (Day/Month/Year) | 2012 |
Page numbers | 166-167 |
URL | https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kojo_Asante/publication/233928898_A_review_of_health_leadership_and_management_capacity_in_the_Solomon_Islands/links/0046353199a8367b8b000000.pdf#page=166 |
Abstract | Executive summary This article describes the current state of health management and leadership capacity and issues that affect management performance in the Solomon Islands. Solomon Islands has a population of about 500,000, nearly 40% of which are under the age of 15 and around 80% live in rural areas. The country has undergone signifcant social and economic upheavals over the past decade which have greatly affected its developmental efforts. Armed con?ict arising from tensions between rival ethnic groups contributed to the degradation and near collapse of the economy between 1998 and 2003. The tensions led to the deployment of the Australian-led Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) to restore law and order in 2003. As a result of the internal con?ict and weak domestic revenue generation, the Solomon Islands economy currently relies heavily on external donor support. Overseas development assistance accounted for nearly 48% of the country’s gross national income in 2006. The Australian and New Zealand governments provide signifcant budget support to the health and education sectors. The health sector has seen some improvements since independence but formidable challenges remain. Life expectancy at birth rose by nearly fve years from 62.2 years in 2000 to 67 in 2010. Infant mortality has dropped signifcantly from 66 per 1,000 live births in 1999 to 24 per 1,000 in 2007. An increasing number of births occur in a health facility under the supervision of skilled health personnel. |