Ministry of Health

The Ministry of Health of Tonga is the government body tasked with overseeing the nation's health system. It formulates public health policy, regulates healthcare providers, and manages the delivery of medical services across the country. The ministry operates hospitals, clinics, and community health centres that provide preventive, curative, and rehabilitative care to residents. It also coordinates immunisation programmes, disease surveillance, and health promotion initiatives aimed at improving population health outcomes. In addition, the MoH is responsible for ensuring the quality and safety of pharmaceuticals and medical devices used within Tonga. The ministry works closely with international health organisations and development partners to strengthen capacity and respond to emerging health threats. Its workforce includes clinicians, administrators, and technical staff who support both clinical operations and health system management. The MoH also administers health financing mechanisms that allocate government resources to service delivery. Through these functions, the ministry seeks to achieve universal health coverage and equitable access to care for all Tongans.

As a government ministry, the MoH is part of the executive branch of Tonga's public administration and reports directly to the Prime Minister and Cabinet. It is funded primarily through the national budget, with additional support from external grants and loans for specific health projects. The ministry's organisational structure includes divisions for clinical services, public health, health information, and administration, each headed by a director who reports to the Secretary for Health. The MoH's headquarters are located in Nuku'alofa, the capital of Tonga, from where it coordinates national health activities. In June 2025, the ministry experienced a significant cyber security incident when the INC ransomware group infiltrated its information and communications networks. The attack, which involved compromised credentials, spear‑phishing and exploitation of vulnerabilities, led to the disruption of core national health services and the exfiltration of personal and health data. Authorities later linked the intrusion to the hacker known as Roman Khubov, operating under the alias 'blackod'. The incident highlighted the vulnerability of health sector ICT systems to ransomware threats and prompted a review of the ministry's cyber security posture.