Exploring Fijian Health System Resilience

Dr Sharon McLennan is an experienced researcher who has published internationally on health and development.  She has a solid understanding of health and health care provision which draws both from her background as a nurse and her research, including a Fast Start Marsden which explored Cuban Medical Cooperation in the Pacific, before receiving a full Marsden grant for this research project.  She has experience undertaking fieldwork in Fiji and the Pacific. PI McLennan will lead the project as her main research activity, coordinating the research team, overseeing the design and conduct of data collection and analysis, undertaking talanoa with the AIs and other team members, and coordinating the publication of findings.

Dr Akisi Ravono is an Indigenous Fijian researcher with expertise in health care in Fiji.  She is employed as a Lecturer in Nursing at the University of Fiji and can provide support with Fijian institutional access and ethics processes.  Dr Ravono will be involved in project management and coordination in Fiji, will provide support and assistance with Fijian research methods and protocols, and will contribute to data collection and publications.

Dr Apisalome Movono is an Indigenous Fijian researcher who has published widely on social-ecological systems, resilience, COVID-19, and communal development in the Pacific.  Dr Movono will offer support with the project’s design and theorisation, and advice and mentoring on Fijian research methods and protocols.

Dr Johanna Thomas-Maude has recently completed her PhD in Development Studies at Massey University and is the Postdoctoral Research Fellow on the project. She has worked on this project in the preliminary stages and development of the Marsden application. Her research interests are related to mobilities and mobility justice, (post)colonialism, and health.

Avendra Prakash is a seasoned public health professional with over 16 years of experience in public health, sexual and reproductive health (SRHR), health promotion, and health services management. He holds a Master of Public Health and a Bachelor of Public Health, and worked for 14 years as an assistant lecturer at Fiji National University, teaching and mentoring students. He currently serves as a volunteer and board chair for the Reproductive and Family Health Association of Fiji (RFHAF), where he championed gender equality, disability inclusion, and equitable access to SRHR services.

Patrick Tamaicakai holds a degree in Sociology and Geography, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Gender Studies from the University of the South Pacific. His interdisciplinary fieldwork experience in all 14 provinces in Fiji has strengthened and deepened his understanding of grassroots perspectives on gender and leadership issues. As an iTaukei researcher, he was part of the data collection team for three major nationwide reviews of the Great Council of Chiefs, the Fijian Administration, and the iTaukei Lands and Fisheries Commission. Currently, he serves as a Part-time Research Assistant at Balance of Power (Fiji) and will be pursuing a Masters in Health Research. His research area represents the intersection of his interests in traditional governance structures, gender studies, and public health, addressing critical health challenges within Indigenous Fijian communities.