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Dr Jialing Lin, Professor Patricia Davidson and Professor Michael Kidd AO, from the International Centre for Future Health Systems (ICFHS), have led an international team in a review of mental health systems across Pacific island countries. The study has been published in The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific.  The review looked at mental health systems in 22 Pacific island countries, and examined six key areas: leadership and governance, funding, workforce, service delivery, access to essential medicines, and health information systems. The researchers also examined  how climate change and emergencies affect all of these areas. The research found that mental health care in many Pacific island countries is still mainly based in hospitals, that there are not enough mental health workers, funding is limited, information systems are weak, and access to essential medicines is often unreliable. Although most countries have mental health policies, many struggle to put them into practice because services are fragmented and there is limited workforce capacity. Some countries have community-based and culturally appropriate models of care, but these are often not well connected to the country’s formal health system. The researchers advise that stronger mental health systems will require reforms tailored to each country’s needs. They also stress the need to reduce inequalities and improve resilience to the impact of climate-related emergencies.