BY LORETTA B MANELE

The value of people and relationships is what is most important about this plan.

Dr Gregory Jilini, Deputy Secretary for Health Care, Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) voiced this at the launch of the “Child and Family Welfare System-Multi-Sectoral Implementation Plan 2025-2030” on Friday, July 25 at Heritage Park Hotel.

He said when we protect children, we invest in the future of our nation.

“What is most important about this plan is that it recognizes the value of people and relationships.

“It calls on each of us to play a role, whether through policy, service delivery, or community leadership,” said Dr Jilini.

He expressed that the plan also respects the strength that already exists in our homes, churches, and villages.

Dr Jilini added that it is not about replacing what works but about building it together and turning the plan into a reality will take effort.

“It will take continued coordination, fighting, and training. But it will also take heart, the will to listen, to respond, and to put the child at the center of every decision we make,” he said.

Dr Jilini also took the opportunity to acknowledge partners who made the launch of the plan a reality.

“I want to acknowledge the hard work of the Social Welfare Division, the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children, and Family Affairs, our key partners UNICEF, the Australian Government, and its people, and all the ministries, civil society groups, and individuals who contributed to shaping this plan,” he said.

In further remarks, Dr Jilini stated that they should leave with a new sense of purpose.

“Let this launch not be the end of a process, but the beginning of a stronger, more coordinated, and more compassionate approach to child and family welfare across our islands. Together, we can create a Solomon Islands where every child grows up safe, developed, and empowered,” he said.

According to the Ministry of Health, the Multi-Sectoral Implementation Plan outlines a unified, cross-sectoral approach to improving child and family welfare services across the Solomon Islands.

The plan is also aligned with Solomon Islands National Development Strategy 2016–2035, which prioritizes improved social and economic livelihoods, and the Sustainable Development Goals.

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