Pacific‐Led Responses to COVID‐19: Lessons for Future Pandemic Preparedness
Date
Authors
Matenga‐Ikihele, Amio
Asafo, Fale
Tuesday, Ruby
Netzler, Natalie
Puliuvea, Chris
Percival, Teuila
Supervisor
Item type
Journal Article
Degree name
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Wiley
Abstract
The COVID‐19 pandemic exposed deep inequities in health systems globally and in Aotearoa New Zealand, with Pacific communities experiencing a disproportionate burden of illness, economic hardship, and social disruption. Despite these challenges, Pacific communities demonstrated resilience, culturally grounded leadership, and the ability to meet community needs through collective action. This qualitative review of peer‐reviewed literature, government reports, and community‐led research identified five interconnected themes: (1) community partnerships; (2) Pacific‐centred approaches; (3) clear and trusted communication; (4) digital inclusion and literacy skills; and (5) economic support and sustainability. From these themes, key enablers were identified, which included community leadership, trusted communication strategies, and agile local systems, alongside barriers such as underinvestment, digital exclusion, reliance on unpaid labour, and limited inclusion of Pacific leadership in early planning. The findings highlight that Pacific‐led systems are not supplementary but an essential public health infrastructure. Embedding these approaches within national emergency planning, through sustainable funding, formal governance roles, and strengthened digital inclusion, offers a pathway to a more equitable, trusted, and resilient pandemic response.Description
Keywords
General Science & Technology
Source
Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand, ISSN: 0303-6758 (Print); 1175-8899 (Online), Wiley, 56(2). doi: 10.1002/snz2.70049
Publisher's version
Rights statement
© 2026 The Author(s). Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Royal Society of New Zealand Te Aparangi. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.