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Pacific Islands

Primary Care Association

We promote and support quality primary health care in the Pacific Islands.

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Our Region

Pacific Islands Primary Care Association (PIPCA) is a non-profit organization serving the US-Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI). The USAPI includes American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia (Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae, and Yap States), Guam, Republic of Marshall Islands, and Republic of Palau. Although the region is collectively referred to as the USAPI, each island is unique in many ways.

Due to the differences in history, size, population, time zones, connectivity, and relationship to the US, they each have distinct challenges affecting the delivery of primary health care. These challenges differ from those encountered within and among U.S. states. Some of the differences fall upon the lines of territories versus independent countries, although not always. Some have more resources or populations, others have different languages, laws, and people. Their economies are differentiated from Hawaii and the U.S. in that the vast majority of people are low income in which 95-100% are below 200% of the federal poverty level.

PIPCA Community Health Centers
More About the Region

This website is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $770,474 with zero percent financed with non-governmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov.