Archives June 2016

Medical Bus on the Road

Wellness Bus conducting screenings in Dreketi with school kids watching WASH demo

The Ministry of Health & Medical Services, supported by UNICEF and the Australian Government, were sponsors of the FBC Roadshow Northern 26-28^th May.

This was the first time the Health Ministry teamed with FBC Roadshow to bring messages and services to the community in an interactive way. With the lasting partnership of Colgate-Palmolive, Handy the Hand Washing Octopus made an appearance and distributed over 800 bars of soap.

Post Cyclone Winston, improper hygiene has posed a threat to public health, being a factor that spreads the flu, typhoid, diarrhea, and other communicable illnesses.

The health focus was to alert people on the importance of hand washing, provide demonstrations, and give supplies to assist. Meanwhile, provide health screenings in remote areas and townships.

The Wellness Bus traveled through Nabouwalu, Dreketi, Savusavu, Seqaqa and Labasa, conducting Wellness screenings for 225 people, with a committed Wellness Team from Labasa. Other Ministry representatives went with the FBC team to 9 communities per day with soap, key messages, and items, leading up to the Bata Ni Tanoa Concert on Saturday 28^th May.

First diabetes foot care symposium held in Fiji

The President of Fiji H.E Major general Jioji Konousi Konrote with Assistant Health Minister Ms Veena Bhatnagar and the senior staff and nurses of the Ministry of Health at the foot care symposium

The President of Fiji HE Major General (ret’d) Jioji Konrote (reti’d) opened the first Diabetes footcare symposium last week where the trained nurses in foot care presented success stories on the prevention of diabetes in Fiji.

The prevalence of NCD’s in quite alarming as almost 80% of deaths in Fiji occur as a result of NCD’s, including diabetes, which also contributes to heart disease and stroke.

Diabetes is caused by four main lifestyle factors: Smoking, poor Nutrition, Alcohol and Physical inactivity (SNAP). Additionally, poor diabetes control causes complications in other areas, which our health experts have termed as SNAKE: Skin, Nerves, Arteries, Kidneys and Eyes.

H.E President Konrote said the main strategy of the Fijian Government through the Ministry for Health and Medical Services is to control SNAP to prevent SNAKE! And this could be done through healthy lifestyles.

“For this to happen, all Fijians must choose a healthy lifestyle. We need to eat healthy and balanced diets. We need to be physically active by doing regular exercises on a daily basis,” he added.

“Importantly, we need to shift the spectrum of thinking from curative to preventative. This will go a long way in controlling diabetes and causing premature deaths”.

World Diabetes Foundation Mr Nilles Bent acknowledged the work on diabetes in Fiji and encouraged the Health Ministry to increase the advocacy on the prevention of diabetes as this is the best way to help people avoid diabetes related illnesses.

Meanwhile the Minister for Health and Medical Services Mr Jone Usamate together with National Advisor NCD Dr Isimeli Tukana attended the Regional Minister of Health’s meeting Co-sponsored by WDF and SPC in Tonga to map out strategies to address Diabetes in the region earlier this week.

World Diabetes Foundation president Mr Nielsen Bent with foot care nurse Neelam Naidu at the Wainibokasi Hospital.

The president of the World Diabetes Foundation Mr Nielsen Bent was impressed with the progress made on foot care services in Fiji as he visited the various health facilities in the Central Division while on his stopover in Fiji as he was en route to Tonga.

Mr Bent also met with the trained nurses on foot care who are based at the health facilities and assisting people who present themselves with diabetes issues.

The nurses have been very confidently addressing patient needs and described how they saved people from amputations through the proper foot care trainings they had gone through.

Mr Bent praised the work of the nurses as they presented their reports on the achievements and the benefits of the training they were engaged in.

‘I am really impressed and I thank you for your hard work. Now I am satisfied that the funding of the diabetes program is in full use and I will be able to inform the World Health Foundation on the progress made so far,’’ Mr Bent said.

The Permanent Secretary for Health and Medical services Dr Meciusela Tuicakau and the regional Rep from WHO Dr Liu Youngao with other stakeholders at the World Blood Donor Day Celebrations at Rishikul High School.

World Blood Donor Day is commemorated on the 14^th of June every year. The theme for this year was “Blood connects us all”.

The Permanent Secretary for Health & Medical Dr Meciusela Tuicakau said that blood donors save lives every day and that continuous awareness of the need for regular donations.

“This will ensure quality, safety and availability of blood and blood products for patients in need”.

Dr Tuicakau also thanked those who had been part of blood drives as in 2015 there was a total of 13,570 blood donors.

The Health Ministry acknowledges the continuous support received from the World Health Organization and the Embassy of Japan.

Minister For Health and Medical Services Mr Jone Usamate with the village women at the opening of the Waimaro Nursing Station.

The people of Waimaro can once again enjoy adequate medical services following the opening of the Waimaro Nursing Station’s new transitional building in Ra.

The Minister for Health and Medical Services, Hon. Jone Usamate jointly opened the new transitional building together with the Australian High Commissioner to Fiji, Ms Margaret Twomey.

As part of the Australian Government’s support to assist Fiji recover from TC Winston, the Fiji Health Sector Support Program (FHSSP) engaged Habitat for Humanity to construct two specifically designed transitional health clinics and one staff quarters.

“These robust shelters are designed to withstand Category 4 cyclones and will provide health workers with temporary and secure facilities until longer term reconstruction solutions are achieved,” Minister Usamate said.

The Waimaro nursing station looks after a population of 2129 which includes 8 villages and 18 settlements.

Minister Usamate said the health ministry is grateful to the Australian Government and FHSSP who have played a key role in restoring the affected health facilities.

“Following TC Winston, the health ministry and the Fijian Government immediately worked towards rebuilding infrastructure, homes and lives and I applaud the efforts put in by everyone to establish this transitional infrastructure,” Minister Usamate said.

This initial support by the Australian Government is part of a longer term plan to provide ongoing assistance to Fiji’s health sector in repairing and reconstructing health facilities damaged by TC Winston. The Australian Government will continue to work closely with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services to restore health facilities.

The Communities of Kese in the Yasawas and Nasau in Koro organized similar events simultaneously last week to celebrate the opening of transitional facilities in support of health services. All three transitional facilities are now operational.