The main output of the Outer Islands Health Services Directorate is to provide accessible and equitable health care services in the Outer Islands with a key focus on preventative and basic curative primary and secondary health care services. This will include a selected range of services provided in Outputs 1 and 2 whether locally or through facilitating access to advanced primary, secondary, tertiary, and rehabilitative health care specialist visits to the outer islands, or referral to Rarotonga.

The improvement of health outcomes for the people of the outer islands will be achieved through the provision of safe, quality, evidence base, accessible and affordable preventative and curative health services for all population groups including children, adolescents, adults and older people in schools, churches, the workplace and other community settings.

The people of the outer islands are disadvantaged because of their relative geographical location, poor transportation, inadequate communication systems and outward migration. This has resulted in major challenges in providing and delivering effective health services to the people of the outer islands. This will be ongoing until remedial action is established. Global economic influences and pandemic threats further compound the vulnerabilities of the people in the outer islands. Understanding the context of the environment we operate in is critical for funding and planning mechanisms within the Ministry of Health and the Government of the Cook Islands to ensure the people of the outer islands is not neglected.