Health in Vanuatu

Primary health care usually begins close to the community. Village Health Workers and Aid Posts provide basic support, health education and referral. Dispensaries and Health Centres offer nurse-led consultations, treatment, prevention and community outreach. Provincial hospitals provide broader treatment, while Vila Central Hospital (VCH) in Port Vila is the main national referral hospital. Northern Provincial or District Hospital serves the northern referral pathway. Provincial services are organised through the health offices of Shefa, Sanma, Tafea, Malampa, Penama and Torba. Some services also come from clinics operated by NGOs or churches under agreements with the Ministry of Health, as well as private providers such as Vanuatu Private Hospital and Novo Medical Centre. Health services focus on vaccination, maternal and newborn care, family planning, nutrition, malaria and other vector-borne diseases, tuberculosis, leprosy, sexually transmitted infections, HIV, non-communicable diseases, environmental health and oral health. The health system faces a double burden: communicable diseases remain significant while diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other long-term conditions require continuing care. Mental health services include the Mental Health Unit, the National Mental Health Committee and provincial mental health and psychosocial support pathways, but capacity differs between locations. Traditional healers may be included when they work collaboratively with formal services. Geography strongly affects access. About 74% of the population lived in rural areas according to UNICEF data for 2024, and many communities depend on sea transport, visiting teams or mobile outreach. Workforce shortages, fragile utilities, damaged facilities, medicine stockouts and disruption from cyclones, earthquakes or outbreaks can delay care. The national health strategy for 2021–2030 therefore prioritises universal coverage, stronger primary care, equity, community participation, resilience and better information systems. For a routine problem, the usual pathway is the nearest Aid Post, Dispensary or Health Centre. Staff assess the patient, provide treatment when available and arrange referral when the case exceeds local capacity. A referral normally includes a completed referral form, patient-held records, clinical communication and, where needed, pre-referral treatment. The receiving facility should send a report back to the initiating facility. Health Committees and communities often help organise transport. Non-urgent referrals normally require an approved appointment. A person can seek care directly at another facility, but may have to pay the travel costs and may not receive referral-related transport support if local levels are bypassed. Emergency departments and hospitals operate around the clock. For an emergency, contact the Ministry of Health emergency line on 112 or use the nearest suitable facility; VCH is the main emergency and national referral option in Port Vila. The number 115 also appears in legacy emergency listings from Vanuatu Police and Ministry of Health sources, so local confirmation is advisable. VCH outpatient services have focused primarily on emergencies and referrals since 2022. Transport assistance depends on available government funding, local arrangements and community support. Overseas referral is reserved for exceptional cases where clinically necessary specialist care is unavailable in Vanuatu. The Director of Hospitals and Curative Services must approve such a referral. The Ministry of Health generally cannot be expected to fund overseas treatment or medical evacuation, so patients and relatives may need to arrange the money, although the Ministry may sometimes help with organisation, equipment or an escort. Medicines are procured, stored and distributed through the Central Medical Store and provincial pharmacy network. The National Essential Drugs List guides procurement and prescribing, and mSupply is used for inventory management. Availability is monitored through stockout days, expiry data and prescribing against the national list, but supply interruptions remain a practical risk. Patients should ask the treating facility or pharmacy whether the prescribed medicine is available and what continuation plan applies if it is not. Public policy has generally provided free care for ni-Vanuatu, with historical exceptions including inpatient charges and charges set by Health Committees. Non-citizens may face fees, and facilities may charge for investigations, pathology, X-rays or surgery. A current nationwide tariff and the actual schedule at every facility were not identified. Private care has separate charges. Hardship or disaster waivers may exist in some circumstances, so the facility should explain the expected payment before non-urgent care where possible. Patients are entitled to equal and fair treatment regardless of culture, ethnicity, location, disability, age, gender, religion or political views. Health information receives special protection under the Data Protection and Privacy Act 2024. Referral records should remain confidential. A patient may refuse further investigation or treatment after the likely consequences have been explained. Keeping the patient-held record, following an agreed appointment and planning transport support continuity. After discharge, follow-up commonly returns to the local Health Centre, Dispensary or Aid Post. Village Health Workers can support continuity, including routine non-communicable disease medicines and community follow-up. Rehabilitation, palliative care and mental health follow-up remain unevenly available. Child health services use the Pikinini Helt Buk for vaccination, breastfeeding, complementary feeding, growth and illness information. The national vaccination schedule includes Penta1, Penta2 and Penta3 at 6, 10 and 14 weeks, with measles-containing vaccination according to the national schedule. Maternal care, family planning and community clinics support antenatal and child health needs, while VCH provides delivery and high-risk referral arrangements in Port Vila. Recent indicators show both progress and continuing gaps. The universal health coverage service-coverage index was 51.8 out of 100 in 2023. UNICEF reported under-five mortality of 17.1 per 1,000 live births in 2024, stunting of 31%, safely managed drinking water for 19% of the population and at least basic sanitation for 48% in 2022. WHO reported end-2025 coverage of 96% for Penta1, 76% for Penta3 and 77% for measles vaccination. Malaria, tuberculosis, HIV and other infections remain relevant, while yaws, leprosy and scabies continue to require attention. Lymphatic filariasis was eliminated as a public-health problem in 2016 and trachoma reached public-health elimination status in 2023.