The International League of Dermatological Societies (ILDS) is donating $1 million to advance dermatology training for the Pacific Island Nations.
The funds are going to Pacific Dermatology Limited, which supports the Pacific Dermatology Training Centre (PDTC) at Tamavua Twomey Hospital in Suva, Fiji. The money will increase access to care and improve treatment for individuals living with skin diseases throughout the region, which includes Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Samoa and other Pacific Island Nations.
Founded by Pacific Dermatology Ltd, an Australian non-profit organisation and Fiji National University (FNU), PDTC opened in 2019 to address the critical shortage of dermatology services for the Pacific Island Nations. Since its inception, 11 doctors from the region have earned FNU’s one-year postgraduate Diploma in Dermatology, and seven are currently in its Master’s programme. The center’s patient reach has grown from treating 800 patients per month in 2018 to more than 2,000 per month in 2024.
The training programs are designed not only to improve the diagnosis and treatment of tropical skin diseases but also to enhance data collection on both communicable and non-communicable diseases and provide greater expertise in managing health emergencies.
Graduates of the Diploma programme are equipped to diagnose and treat tropical skin conditions in their communities, thereby significantly increasing access to dermatological care across the region.
The three-year Master’s in Dermatology programme further qualifies doctors as specialists in dermatology. With more doctors trained to this level, PDTC expects to expand access to treatment for those in the region living with a variety of skin diseases, including psoriasis, vitiligo, diabetic ulcers, impetigo, and neglected tropical diseases such as leprosy. Trainees in both programs gain hands-on experience by working at the Fiji National Skin Clinic and providing essential dermatology-related services. The clinic now treats 21,000 patients per year.
The ILDS funding will support the expansion of both the Diploma and Master’s programs, enabling PDTC to continue to train healthcare professionals and extend its reach within the region. The grant will be paid in instalments over the next four years.
The funding commitment to PDTC follows the ILDS’s investment in the Regional Dermatology Training Centre (RDTC) in Moshi, Tanzania. Founded in 1990, it has improved dermatological care in Tanzania and neighbouring countries.
“To achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030, we must expand skin health provision, so the ILDS is delighted to support PDTC in training dermatologists to provide care for those living with skin diseases in the Pacific Island Nations,” says Claire Fuller, FRCP, Chair of the ILDS International Foundation for Dermatology (IFD) in a news release. “In so doing, we are contributing to the delivery of UHC for this significant and geographically dispersed region of the world.”
ILDS President Henry W. Lim, MD, agrees. “Expanding access to dermatological care is a key priority for the ILDS as we strive to achieve our goal of ‘skin health for the world.’ The Pacific Island Nations are clearly underserved in this regard,” says Dr. Lim, also, former Chair of the Department of Dermatology at Henry Ford Hospital and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Henry Ford Health in Detroit, MI. “Pacific Dermatology, with support from Fiji’s Ministry of Health and Medical Services and other stakeholders, has made tremendous progress in addressing this need through the creation of PDTC and its training programmes. We hope our funding will ensure the sustainability of its work and allow the team to continue expanding their services, offering a brighter future to those living with skin diseases across the region.”
Mecuisela Tuicakau, Head of the Pacific Dermatology Training Centre, expressed gratitude to the ILDS. “We are deeply thankful to the ILDS for this crucial funding, which will help us build a sustainable community of dermatology professionals capable of treating more of our people locally. It will also allow us to enhance the facilities and technology at PDTC, further improving the care we provide to our patients,” he says,
He also acknowledged Sydney, Australia- based dermatologist Margot Whitfeld, MD, for her support. “Our programmes would not exist without her, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration.”
PHOTO CAPTION: (left to right): Mr Tim Wills, Dr Stephen Shumack and Dr Margot Whitfeld. Behind them are board members of Pacific Dermatology Ltd, representatives from Fiji National University and Tamavua Twomey hospital, together with resident doctors and nurses from PDTC.
