Developing mental health resources for low and medium income countries of the Pacific-The Cook Islands experience

摘要

The 14 low and medium income countries (LAMICs) of the western Pacific Ocean consist of thousands of large and small islands in Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia scattered over millions of square kilometres of sea. Although economically not confronted with the problems of the poorest low income countries, the western Pacific Ocean nations face the communication, transport and infrastructure difficulties of this geographical and demographic dispersion. For example, the Cook Islands in Polynesia have approximately 22,000 people on 15 populated islands with a total land area of approximately 250 square kilometres in more than 5 million square kilometres of ocean.