05/03/2026
Let’s go Sharin Vile 💪🏽🇻🇺
- Women leading health security!
As Vanuatu joins the world in celebrating International Women’s day this year, the Ministry of Health proudly recognizes the dedication and leadership of women who continue to strengthen the nation’s health system. Among them is Sharin Vile, Senior Emergency and Disaster Response Officer within the National Disease Surveillance, Research and Emergency Response Unit under the Department of Public Health.
In a country highly vulnerable to natural disasters and disease outbreaks, her role is critical. She leads and coordinates national health emergency preparedness efforts, ensuring that systems are in place long before a crisis strikes. At the heart of her work is a simple but powerful principle: preparedness saves lives.
Ms Vile also coordinates the Vanuatu Emergency Medical Team (VanMAT) initiative, working to build a structured, well-trained national response team capable of deploying rapidly during emergencies. Her efforts focus not only on response, but on strengthening surveillance systems and coordination mechanisms across national and provincial levels.
Her journey into public health was shaped by a deep commitment to service. Growing up in Vanuatu, she witnessed how disasters and disease can disrupt families and communities. For her, health is not just clinical care it represents protection, dignity, and stability. After losing both of her parents in 2021, her sense of purpose became even stronger. The experience reinforced her belief in the importance of resilient health systems that protect lives during moments of vulnerability.
Her career path has been both demanding and fulfilling. While working full-time, she pursued postgraduate studies in Field Epidemiology and Disaster Management, strengthening her technical capacity to lead effectively in complex emergency environments. Working in emergency and disaster management a field often dominated by men has presented its challenges. However, she chose to overcome these obstacles by investing in competence, strengthening her expertise, and allowing her work to speak for itself.
Among her proudest achievements is leading the development of the National Health Emergency Operations Centre (NHEOC) Terms of Reference and Operational Framework within the Ministry in Vanuatu. She reflects on the 2017 Ambae volcanic eruption, when response efforts were conducted without formalized systems, and compares it to today’s structured coordination mechanisms. The progress, though built quietly and steadily, represents a major step forward in safeguarding communities.
She also takes pride in advocating for national recognition of the Emergency Medical Team structure. Through persistence, technical clarity, and continuous engagement, she helped elevate the importance of organized emergency medical response within national health planning.
For her, public health service is stewardship protecting the most vulnerable and ensuring no one is left behind during emergencies. Leadership, she believes, means responsibility before authority. It is about creating clarity during uncertainty and empowering others to grow.
Beyond technical achievements, she is committed to supporting other women in the workplace. She encourages women to step confidently into leadership roles, participate actively in technical discussions, and trust their abilities. “If you are in the room, you belong there,” she says—a reminder that competence and courage must go hand in hand.
As we mark International Women’s Day, her message to women across the Ministry is clear: Your work matters ,your voice matters, your leadership matters.
This International Women’s Day, the Ministry of Health celebrates not only her achievements, but the many women who form the backbone of Vanuatu’s health security system from frontline workers to policy leaders whose dedication continues to protect and strengthen our nation.
