A new leadership training initiative, the Shefa Provincial Health Women in Leadership Program (WILP) – Cohort 3, officially launched today at the Vanuatu Christian Council Conference Room in Port Vila.
The program, led by the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) in partnership with the University of the South Pacific (USP), is supported by the Australian Government through the Vanuatu-Australia Health Partnership (VAHP). It will run from April 23 to June 6, 2025.
Shefa Provincial Health Administrator, Morris Amos, told VBTC News that the main objective of the program is to identify and empower emerging leaders within the health sector and public service to improve the coordination and delivery of health services in Shefa.
“This training is about building leadership skills so officers can work more effectively with communities and other partners,” Mr Amos said.
James Jacob, Area Administrator for the Tanvasoko Area Council, highlighted the importance of the training in addressing financial and operational challenges in his area.
“This is a valuable opportunity to strengthen my leadership capacity so I can better serve my community,” he said.
Sylvie Watt, North Efate Area Administrator, also shared her views, saying the training will help her coordinate more effectively with development partners and improve outreach to underserved areas.
“It will enable us to work together better with all partners to ensure services reach the people,” she said.
The 20 participants in Cohort 3 include eight women and twelve men. Key attendees include the Assistant Secretary General, Provincial Health Manager, Provincial Health Administrator, the Public Relations Officer from Port Vila Municipal Council, Area Administrators from North Efate and Nguna-Pele, the Shefa PEO, Allied VCH Manager, and other emerging leaders from Shefa province.
WILP is a locally led, culturally grounded program designed to build strong leadership across the health sector. It acknowledges that improved health outcomes require capable leadership from both men and women.
The intentional selection of this group aims to strengthen coordination and service delivery across Shefa Rural, Port Vila Municipal Council, and the outer islands of Efate, aligning with the Government of Vanuatu’s decentralization policy.
Leadership and governance have been identified as critical areas for health improvement, and the program seeks to form a proactive working group that can support initiatives such as the Soupia maritime pilot project and reinforce existing service networks.
