Our Research
In Fiji, the idea of solesolevaki – coming together to work towards a shared goal – has always been a cornerstone of community life. During the COVID-19 pandemic, this sense of unity helped communities pull together as the health system faced some of its toughest challenges. The pandemic exposed years of neglect in the health sector, but it also offered a chance to rethink how the system could be made stronger and more prepared for future crises.
Meet the team
Dr Sharon
McLennan
Principal Investigator
Te Herenga Waka | Victoria University of Wellington
DR akisi
Ravono
Associate Investigator
University of Fiji
Dr Apisalome
Movono
Associate Investigator
The University of the South Pacific (USP)
Dr Johanna
Thomas-Maude
Postdoctoral Fellow
Te Herenga Waka | Victoria University of Wellington
Avendra
Prakash
PhD Student
Te Herenga Waka | Victoria University of Wellington
Patrick
Tamaicakai
Masters Student
Te Herenga Waka | Victoria University of Wellington
Latest News
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Congratulations Avendra – PhD registration confirmed
Today was a landmark day for PhD student, Avendra Prakash, who presented his research publicly for the first time and faced a panel assessment of his proposal. Avendra’s research will investigate how graduates of the Bachelor of Public Health degree in Fiji can be strategically integrated into Fiji’s health system to strengthen resilience, particularly in the context of public health emergencies such as COVID-19, HIV/AIDS, and other communicable and non-communicable disease outbreaks. Today’s meeting and presentation (known as confirmation at some universities) is an important step in the PhD process. It must be completed within 8-12 months of provisional registration,…
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Celebrating Pacific Health Research at PIHRS 2025
Last week Sharon, Akisi, Avendra and Patrick joined researchers, health workers, and students from across the region at the Pacific Islands Health Research Symposium (PIHRS) 2025, hosted at Fiji National University’s Nasinu campus. The symposium, held alongside the 140th anniversary of the Fiji School of Medicine, was a chance to celebrate Pacific research excellence and to share ideas about how we can build healthier futures for our communities. Across three packed days, we heard from inspiring keynote speakers and joined discussions on some of the most important issues facing the Pacific: non-communicable diseases, antimicrobial resistance, sexual and reproductive health, planetary…
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Welcome to Te Herenga Waka
The research team, from left to right: Dr Johanna Thomas-Maude, Mr Patrick Tamaicakai, (Masters student), Dr Sharon McLennan, and Mr Avendra Prakash (PhD Student) and Dr Akisi Ravono, In August the team (minus Dr Api) convened in Wellington at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington (VUW) for workshops and discussion. During this time, we welcomed Dr Akisi, who joined as a VUW adjunct, and Patrick Tamaicakai, who is starting his Master’s degree. During the two weeks Akisi was in Wellington we were able to work on analysis of the data collected so far, future fieldwork design, and publication plans. Akisi…
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Key Informant Interviews in Fiji: What We Learned About leadership, Innovation, and Grief
In late June – July Sharon had the privilege of following up our talanoa earlier this year. She met with and interviewed twelve Fijian health leaders and workers, exploring how the health system responded to and recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic. These interviews with healthcare workers, administrators, and frontline responders across the archipelago – from remote maritime islands to urban hospitals – uncovered stories of remarkable resilience, alongside profound grief and ongoing trauma that continues to shape Fiji’s recovery. The Hidden Cost of Crisis Leadership The motivation for this research was the crisis faced by Fiji during 2021, when the…
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Stories and the Polycrisis: Reflections from the Development Studies Association (DSA) Conference 2025
From 25th to 27th June 2025, the annual Development Studies Association (DSA) conference was held at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom. Under the theme Navigating Crisis: Dangers and Opportunities in Development, the conference explored how development theories and practices engage with ongoing crises and uncertain futures, and what opportunities might arise for more just and transformative systems. Our postdoctoral fellow, Dr Johanna Thomas-Maude attended in person in Bath, while Primary Investigator Dr Sharon McLennan joined virtually from Fiji, where she is undertaking a second round of talanoa discussions as part of our ongoing health system resilience project.…
Exploring Fijian Health System Resilience 