Pohnpei Advances NCD Prevention Through Data and Public Health Leadership

Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia -The PIHOA Secretariat is proud to highlight the successful completion of the fourth Pohnpei Rapid High School Survey, 2025 - 2026 Report, conducted by the Pohnpei State Department of Health Services (DHS), with technical support provided by PIHOA Secretariat's Regional NCD Epidemiologist, Rasmi Davu.

Local data collection efforts were led by PIHOA's Pacific Public Health Fellowship Program (PPHFP) Fellow, Ms. Eve Joel, who was guided and worked alongside Maryallen Silbanuz, Pohnpei DHS' NCD Coordinator. The survey was conducted from October 10 to November 3, 2025, with an impressive turnaround enabled by strong collaboration and coordination among Pohnpei's public health staff and local, community-based partners.

This year's survey achieved excellent student participation and introduced an innovative component: interactive health awareness booths addressing key NCD topics. Organized by multiple public health programs, the booths created opportunities for meaningful engagement, education, and dialogue. Students asked insightful questions and showed strong interest in learning more about NCDs and available public health services, reinforcing the value of integrating education and outreach into surveillance activities.

Conducted every two years as part of the Pohnpei DHS' NCD Surveillance Plan, the successful implementation of the Rapid High School Survey continues to enhance and support Pohnpei State's strategic NCD response priorities by strengthening local public health workforce capacity and service delivery, and contributing to evidence-base policies and programs to address NCDs across Pohnpei State, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), and the Pacific region.

Congratulations to the Pohnpei DHS and all partners involved for their leadership, collaboration, and commitment to advancing youth health and strengthening NCD response in public health systems.

This work is fully supported by funds made available from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through PIHOA’s Partnership Cooperative Agreement OT21-2101: Strengthening the Public Health Systems in the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CDC/HHS, or the U.S. Government.