Pacific Health Research Council: health research by and for Pacificans

The inaugural meeting of the Pacific Health Research Council (PHRC) was held at Sonaisali, Fiji 12-14 Oct 1998. It was attended by representatives of eight Pacific Island countries and five Pacific Island institutions. The organisation is designed to provide three levels of membership: Pacific Island countries; Pacific Island institutions; and individual Pacific Island researchers. An executive committee was appointed and given the task with the special objectives: to promote and strengthen health research by Pacific people and; to develop Pacific people capacity to exert more control and ownership of data generated through research. In the past Pacific health research has often been driven by external agendas and there is a need to increase the capacity among Pacific Island people to conduct action oriented research. An initial collaborative project for the PHRC is in the area of injury prevention and control. Implementing tasks of the PHRC will require the use of distant consulting and co-ordination to provide ongoing technical assistance, to manage multi-centre activities, and to share ideas and concerns etc. Hence, PHCR will be interested in participating in evolving telehealth networks in order to adequately address these tasks. In the spirit of cooperation and co-ordination, the PHRC can be expected to become actively involved in these emerging developments.