(Newsletter March 2023)

A regional training workshop on ICD mortality coding for Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) was organized from 1-10 March 2023 in Nadi, Fiji. The workshop was organized by the Pacific Community (SPC), in collaboration with Brisbane Accord Group (BAG) partners. It provided guidance on the new version of ICD (ICD-11). This workshop was implemented under the Pacific Islands Regional Programme on Strengthening the Availability and Quality of Causes of Death Data (Pacific CoD Programme) supported by the Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative. This project builds on the support for CRVS systems strengthening that BAG has provided to PICTs since 2010. This nine-day workshop aimed to:

• Provide training on ICD-10 and ICD-11 mortality coding.
• Discuss and identify regional and individual country needs for support in technical areas to strengthen cause of death data.
• Provide guidance and orientation on options for mortality coding: including automated mortality coding tools and possible support models for centralised coding procedures/ regional coding centre.

The workshop included experts’ presentations, practical sessions involving individual, and groups exercises as well as group discussion and feedback.