Category Press Release

International Yoga Day 

While most of the people were busy engaged in sports and other enjoyment, H.E The President of Fiji Major General Jioji Konrote joined the Indian High Commission’s International Yoga Day celebrations.

Both the Minister and the Assistant Minister for Health and Medical Services also attended the event to capture the benefits of Yoga in daily life.

Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual practice or discipline which originated in ancient India. The event is observed annually and has attracted scores of people from various faiths.

Midwives receive further training

The Minister for Health and Medical Services Mr Jone Usamate officially closed the week-long International Midwifery conference at the Fiji National University last Friday.

Midwives from around the country received more specialized training from their counterparts from USA. Australia, and New Zealand to enhance their skills in the midwifery practice and provide better quality service to mothers in Fiji.

During the training, a resolutions document was drafted and presented to Mr Usamate which consisted of the immediate needs of upskilling the nurses to provide quality healthcare services.

Mr Usamate praised the work of the nurses and advised them to grab every opportunity to broaden the horizon of their skills.

“It’s a phenomenal role that they perform and I applaud the efforts”, Mr Usamate said.

He added that for a healthier population as in the vision of the Health Ministry a good start has to be made and this requires the services of the trained staff like you.

“You must have learnt a lot of things such advocating natural safe birthing and working together to deliver the required services in this field”.

Mr Usamate thanked the trainers for imparting much-needed knowledge about safer and healthier delivery of babies to the midwives of Fiji.

Mental Health services highlighted at GP’s conference.

Minister for Health and Medical Services Mr Jone Usamate speaking to the General Practitioners (GPs).

The Minister for Health and Medical Services Mr. Jone Usamate welcomed the initiative of addressing mental health issues as the objective of the Fiji college of General Practitioners annual conference this year.

This advances the mission of the Health Ministry in assisting people to achieve their full health potential through the provision of preventative, curative and rehabilitative services.

Minister Usamate told delegates that the health ministry has been exploring effective means to collaborate with all stakeholders in the provision of a comprehensive mental health service.

To this effect, Mr. Usamate said that the National Mental Health Strategic Plan 2012-2016 has been aligned to the WHO Comprehensive Mental Health Action plan 2013-2020.

“Ministry of Health and Medical Services will continue to monitor, evaluate and review crucial laws, policies and regulations to ensure codes of practice and collaboration with mental health stakeholders is well advanced in Fiji,” Mr. Usamate said.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Health has introduced stress management wards in divisional hospitals and plans are formulated to introduce such services in the sub-divisional wards, with the training of the public health staff in the mhGap by the end of 2016.

Mr. Usamate also said that the GPs could be involved in the provision of health services in their sub-division to further enhance healthcare for the people.

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services is launching its annual Non-Communicable Disease screening month on Friday July 1. Even if you feel well, screening for NCDs like diabetes is the best way to find these diseases while they are easy to treat, before they become worse. Don’t delay, get checked today at your nearest helath facility!

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.