The South Pacific Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officers Alliance (SPCNMOA) began as the South Pacific Chief Nursing Officers Alliance (SPCNOA) formed in 2004, incorporating Midwifery Officers in 2006. Through the partnership between the World Health Organization Western Pacific Regional Office (WHO WPRO), SPCNMOA and the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre at UTS (WHOCC UTS), the Alliance aims to enhance nursing and midwifery effectiveness through promoting and improving population health in the region. 

SPCNMOA intends to achieve this aim by raising the quality and relevance of nursing, midwifery and health leadership in health services, as well as nursing and midwifery education. This requires close collaboration between members as well as academic, regulatory and service partners through information sharing, capacity building, education and service projects, and research.  

History

The SPCNMOA was established after the 2004 WHO Summit on Emerging Diseases: Lessons from SARS held at UTS, and the WHO Forum for Government Chief Nurses. The aim was to create a formal network to strengthen nursing leadership and the delivery of primary health care in the South Pacific region through innovative nursing and midwifery models. 

The WHOCC UTS was subsequently established and named the Secretariat of the SPCNMOA, supporting member countries and coordinating actions to achieve the vision and mission of SPCNMOA. The WHOCC UTS has since undertaken more than 50 projects in 25 countries working towards universal health coverage.