Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne will convene a two-day conference in Honolulu today to develop strategies and programs to improve health care in the Pacific Islands.

Senior-level federal health officials and leaders of U.S. territories and freely associated states are expected to attend the session, “;The Future of Health Care in the Insular Areas.”;

Among those attending will be Secretary of Veterans Affairs James Peake, Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness David S.C. Chu, Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary Joxel Garcia, and Hawaii Lt. Gov. James “;Duke”; Aiona Jr.

Also, Marshall Islands President Litokwa Tomeing, American Samoa Gov. Togiola Tulafono, Republic of Palau Vice President Elias Chi, Guam Gov. Felix Camacho, Federated States of Micronesia President Manny Mori, Northern Mariana Islands Gov. Ben Fitial and U.S. Virgin Islands Health Commissioner Vivian Ebbesen Fludd are set to attend.

Dr. Donna Christensen, Virgin Islands delegate to Congress, and Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, American Samoa's delegate to Congress, also will participate.

Kempthorne will give opening remarks at 9 a.m. in the Marriott Hotel's Kona Moku Ballroom.

Discussion topics and presentations will focus on how the federal government can work with Pacific Island governments and health professional groups to meet public health educational, funding, personnel, facility and training needs.