The latest issue of Pacific Health Dialog explores the foundations of health in the Pacific through the interconnected themes of people, place, and systems. Bringing together research from Samoa, Fiji, Aotearoa New Zealand, and across the Pacific region, this issue highlights how health outcomes are shaped not only by clinical care but also by communities, environments, communication, and health system resilience.

Featured studies examine factors influencing HPV vaccination uptake among Samoan girls and their caregivers, the relationship between natural and built environments and the mental health of Pacific young people in Aotearoa New Zealand, outcomes following emergency laparotomy in Fiji, the spectrum of skin diseases presenting to Samoa’s first dedicated dermatology clinic, and adherence to rheumatic fever prophylaxis before and after the COVID-19 pandemic in Samoa.

Together, these contributions showcase the growing strength of Pacific-led research and provide evidence to inform policy, practice, and future health system development. Grounded in local realities and community perspectives, the studies reinforce a shared vision of healthier Pacific communities through evidence-informed, culturally responsive approaches to care.