22 February 2016
Noumea, New Caledonia – Registrars, statisticians and health information specialists from across the Pacific are gathering in Noumea, New Caledonia, this week (22-25 February) to share experiences and lessons on improving civil registration and vital statistics systems and data.
This is the first regional meeting of its kind to bring all three major sectors together within the region, and is an opportunity to share the lessons and experiences from the first five years of the Pacific Vital Statistics Action Plan.
Civil registration is essential to provide timely data for development, to plan services such as schools and infrastructure, support human and child rights and to promote good governance and accountability.
Vital statistics and cause of death data collected through a routine registration system is also essential to be able to effectively identify and respond to key health issues in the Pacific region, such as non-communicable diseases.

