The first Ministerial Conference on Health for the Pacific Island Countries was convened in Fiji in 1995, which resulted in the Yanuca Declaration, advancing the concept of "healthy islands" as the unifying theme for health promotion and health protection. Six biennial meetings of the Ministers of Health for the Pacific Island Countries in the ensuing years have further developed a consensus view of health in the Pacific and identified follow-up actions necessary to build healthy islands.

The proposed meeting will provide an opportunity to improve health in the Pacific through strengthened action and collaboration in priority strategic and technical health areas, as well as follow up on progress towards commitments made during the Vanuatu and Samoa meetings.

The meeting will be cosponsored by WHO and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC).