Building a healthier future together
2025 has been a year of progress for health in Solomon Islands! In March I joined the Minister for Health and Medical Services (MHMS), the Hon Paul
Bosawai, to launch the Solomon Islands Australia Health Partnership, a four-year, $150 million investment that is improving healthcare delivery and saving lives across Solomon Islands. Then in August, the Minister and I re-opened the Kukum Area Health Centre, following completion of a refurbishment funded by Australia and delivered by MHMS.
A new partnership for health
The new Solomon Islands Australia Health Partnership builds on Australia’s long standing support for Solomon Islands’ health sector, with a strong focus on provincial health service delivery. It is aligned with the Solomon Islands’ National Health Strategic Plan and responds to the Solomon Islands government’s priorities for health.
Through this partnership, we’re investing together in practical initiatives to improve health services. Half of the new funding – $75 million – goes directly to the provinces to support primary health care services across the country. Since 2016, Australia has provided more than $250 million in provincial grants.
Rod Hilton and Minister for Health Paul Bosawai
reopening the Kukum Area Health Clinic.
The new partnership also includes a $10 million National Health Priorities Fund to support targeted national priorities. For 2026, this includes public health programs such as HIV/STI prevention, environmental health, vector borne disease and social welfare. The $10 million Health Facility will support targeted, small-scale upgrades across the country.
We are also working together to champion gender equality in health leadership. The Permanent Secretary’s Women in Health Leadership Awards, to be launched soon, recognises and supports female leaders who are shaping the future of healthcare in
Solomon Islands.
Big achievements for Solomon Islands in sanitation
I’m proud that Australia is supporting improved sanitation in Solomon Islands. Last month, my team joined seven communities in Western Province as they celebrated achieving ‘No Open Defecation’ status – an important milestone in rural health. MHMS, UNICEF and NGO partners have supported 173 communities across Malaita, Central Islands and Western provinces to build over 4,000 household toilets, drawing on $3.5 million in funding from Australia and benefiting more than 21,000 people.
community sanitation events
in Western Province.
As we mark World Toilet Day this week, the achievements made by these communities remind us that everyone – including children, women, elderly people and people with disabilities – has the right to access proper sanitation and live in a safe, healthy environment.
Our Community Partnerships Program has supported a total of 26 community sanitation projects across Solomon Islands. To date, 12 of these projects have been completed with 14 more sanitation projects underway.
Our education program is also currently supporting the construction of sanitation facilities in 26 schools in Central Islands Province, which will benefit more than 4000 students and teachers.
We’re always working to do more
Australia is also enabling access to advanced medical treatment in Solomon Islands. This week, we welcomed neurosurgery and hand surgery teams from Australia who worked alongside their NRH colleagues to provide life-saving and life-changing surgery, alongside an oral health team from Victoria supporting dental services.
These visits reflect the strong people-to-people links that underpin our health partnership with
Solomon Islands.
Beyond these clinical exchanges, we are investing in long-term health outcomes through Partnerships for a Healthy Region — our regional program to strengthen health systems across the Indo-Pacific. Through more than 20 projects, Australian health partners are working with Ministry of Health officials, health workers and civil society to strengthen the Solomon Islands ability to detect and control infectious diseases, prevent and manage non-communicable diseases, and support sexual and reproductive healthcare services, especially for women and girls.
Construction of the Naha Birthing and Urban Health Centre is well underway and will open in 2026. This new facility will be a game-changer for Honiara communities, providing high-quality birthing and primary health care services and, importantly, easing pressure on the National Referral Hospital (NRH).
Partnership launching.
The progress we’ve achieved is thanks to the dedication of Solomon Islands health workers, leaders, and communities. Your commitment inspires us every day. Australia deeply values our partnership with Solomon Islands and will continue investing in health.
Stronger health systems mean stronger communities—and a stronger region for us all. Together, we are building a future where every person can access the health care they need and deserve.
Lukim iu neks taem!
