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Joint Press Release

Fiji celebrates 40 years of Primary Health Care towards Universal Health Coverage:

‘Health for all. Everyone. Everywhere’

For release 7 April 2018

7 April 2018 | SUVA, FIJI: On April 7 the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Fiji Ministry of Health & Medical Services (Ministry) have come together to celebrate the  70^th Anniversary of WHO and the 40^th Anniversary of Primary Health Care (PHC) in Fiji. These special events mark a time for both organizations to recommit to their mutual goal of advocating for Universal Health Coverage – Health for all – Everyone. Everywhere.

April 7, 2018 marks a special date for the WHO as 70 years ago the global community came together to establish the WHO – the United Nations agency founded on the principle that health is a right for all. In celebration of this anniversary WHO calls upon the global community to recommit to the basic principle that access to essential health care is a human right for all. Achieving universal health coverage means that everyone can access the health services they need, where and when they need them, without financial hardship.

Fiji has long since committed to achieving this goal, as today Fiji celebrates the 40th Anniversary of its adoption of the Alma Ata Declaration on Primary Health Care. Strengthening primary health care is the means to achieving Universal Health Coverage.

This commitment is deeply enshrined under Section 38 of the Fijian Constitution (2013), for which the state must take reasonable measures within available resource to achieve the progressive realisation of the right of every Fijian to health, and to the conditions and facilities necessary to good health, to health services, including reproductive health.

Dr Corinne Capuano, WHO Director of Pacific Technical Support and Representative for the South Pacific, commends Fiji: ‘I welcome very much that Fiji puts special emphasis on Primary Health Care during this years’ celebration, because we believe that reinvigorating Primary Health Care is for Fiji and the Pacific Island Countries the way forward to achieving Universal Health Coverage’.

Universal health coverage is beneficial and already happening. But we can do more and better.

At least half the world’s people don’t receive the essential health services they need. About 100 million people are being pushed into extreme poverty (<$1.90 a day) because of payments for health services. As a result, children have to abandon school and dreams of a career so tuition money can pay a family member’s medical bills. Others leave jobs – or cannot get jobs – because they have to take care of a sick family member. Over 800 million people (almost 12 percent of the world’s population) spend at least 10 percent of their household budgets on health expenses for themselves, a sick child or other family member.

On World Health Day, the World Health Organization is calling on world leaders to live up to their commitments and to action on them.

Countries are approaching universal health coverage in different ways. In Fiji, the Ministry is committed to ensuring that the most efficient route to universal health coverage is to get it right at the lowest and most accessible level that serves the majority of Fijians. ‘Good Primary Health Care that integrates the delivery of essential public health and clinical services at both the facility and community levels should be the triggering point for change’ says the Minister for Health & Medical Services, Hon. Rosy Akbar.

In some Pacific Islands, if the situation doesn’t improve, one in three 30-year-olds will die before their 70th birthday from non-communicable diseases such as heart attack, stroke, diabetes or cancer. To maximize their chances of living long, productive lives, we need to provide access to services that are effective in preventing and managing these diseases.

We need care that promotes health and prevents sickness. We also need better care for people who already have health conditions. Comprehensive care must be available closer to people’s homes, coordinated by health-care teams to provide both convenience and the opportunity to build enduring and trusting relationships with the people and the communities they serve.

‘WHO is committed to support Fiji and other Pacific Islands in their goal in ensuring that all Pacific Islanders have access to the essential health care, regardless of whether they are based in one of the Pacific’s urban centers or on a remote outer island’ says Dr Corinne Capuano, WHO Director of Pacific Technical Support and Representative for the South Pacific.

This is why everyone should be part of this dialogue – because it concerns everybody’s life.

In celebration of this special event, and to inspire others to join the conversation, the Ministry is launching a series of debates and events to strengthen awareness and discuss ideas on how to achieve primary health care.

Over the coming months, the following events will be held and all interested citizens are encouraged to join:

• Series of Public Debates that will be organized jointly by the Ministry and local tertiary institutions and partner agencies.
• Lecture Series organized by the Ministry and Academia
• Divisional Health Office Celebrations—Year long celebrations with Key Health Event Dates
• Public Awareness and Advertisements
• Series of Wellness Events—Free Health Screening, health concerts to recognize former PHC providers and success stories aligned to the key elements of PHC
• Forming stronger collaboration and partnerships with stakeholders under the Wellness settings in Fiji such as the Private Sector, Business Community, NGOs/CSOs, Government Agencies, Communities, Villages, Development Partners, and Academic Institutions.

If you believe in the basic human right to health, WHO and the Ministry encourage you to join in the campaign to make Universal Health Coverage a reality.

For additional information about WHO World Health Day and Universal Health Coverage, visit:

• http://www.health.gov.fj/?cat=12
• http://www.wpro.who.int/entity/universal_health_coverage/en/ ; and
• wpro.who.int/UHC

For further information or interviews, contact:

Dr. Isimeli Tukana, National Advisor NCD, Head of National Wellness Centre, Ministry of Health & Medical Services

E-mail: isimeli.tukana@govnet.gov.fj

Mobile: (+679) 9906945

World Health Organisation, Division of Pacific Technical Support

Martina Pellny

Team Coordinator Health Systems, Division of Pacific Technical Support

Email: pellnym@who.int

Tel: (+679) 3234133, and Website: http://www.wpro.who.int

World Health Day 2018

MEDIA RELEASE : MENINGOCOCCAL C VACCINES AT NAVESAU ADVENTIST HIGH SCHOOL TO BE ADMINISTERED ON 5^TH APRIL

Medical teams from the Ministry of Health and Medical Services will be administering Meningococcal C (Men-C) vaccinations to all students who have been granted written consent from their parents at the Navesau Adventist High School starting tomorrow 5 April 2018.

The vaccination scheduled at the Navesau Adventist High School was initially scheduled to be held on 4 April 2018 as part of the Ministry of Health’s initial $10 million allocation towards combatting the spread of Men-C in Fiji. It was only due to the severe weather conditions caused by Tropical Cyclone Josie that the scheduled vaccination has been moved until tomorrow.

The Men-C vaccination that will be administered at the Navesau Adventist High School is the quadrivalent ACWY conjugate vaccine, Menactra. The Menactra vaccine is a proven preventative to the spread of Men-C and was used in Fiji last year to safely and effectively contain an outbreak of Men-C at the St. Johns College.

In order to receive the Men-C vaccinations, all students of the Navesau Adventist High School must provide signed consent forms from their parents to the medical team administering the vaccinations.

Medical teams from the Ministry of Health have already been on-site at Navesau Adventist High School since 19 March providing regular medical checks to students and staff and administering antibiotic regimens.

Medical staff will remain on school grounds to evaluate the status of students and staff at the Navesau Adventist School following the vaccine administration.

The Ministry urges all Fijians to help create clean, hygienic environments at home, schools and other communal spaces to help prevent the spread of Men-C and other bacterial diseases in Fiji. The Ministry also urges anyone experiencing the symptoms of Men-C to immediately go to the nearest health facility.

-ENDS-

29/03/2018

MEDIA STATEMENT: For Immediate Release

UPDATE ON THE MENINGOCOCCAL C OUTBREAK IN FIJI

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services has released the revised Meningococcal Disease Public Health Management Guideline to all medical practitioners in Fiji. This is to ensure they have access to the latest information and guidance for the clinical management of patients, and the public health response in communities during this outbreak.

Appropriate antibiotics are also now accessible in the Health Subdivisions.

Update on cases

From this week (week of March 26^th) the Ministry is reporting both confirmed and suspected cases. Therefore, there have been a total of 38 cases from January 1^st to March 29^th, 2018. Of these, 20 cases are laboratory confirmed, and 18 suspected based on clinical signs and symptoms and/or links to another case.

Last week (week of March 19^th) there were 3 cases reported, and this week (week of March 26^th) there were another 3 cases. There has been an average of 2 cases per week in the last 4 weeks.

Navesau Adventist School

Of the 38 cases so far in 2018, there were 6 from Navesau Adventist School in Tailevu. Two of the cases from this week (week of March 26^th) were diagnosed and transferred to the hospital following a visit to the school by the Team from Nayavu Health Centre as part of the Ministry’s public health response to the previously reported cases.

None of the 2018 deaths to date have been from Navesau Adventist School.

Since report of the first case at Navesau Adventist School the Nayavu Health Centre team, the Tailevu Subdivisional Team, and the Central Division Team have made daily school visits where they have administered preventative antibiotics to all students and teachers.

The Ministry is in the process of procuring emergency vaccines for this school. This is expected to be given to the students next week.

Advice on vaccination

The Ministry is aware private pharmacies have brought in vaccines. To be clear: only vaccines for meningococcal C will be effective in preventing you from getting meningococcal C during this outbreak. This includes the meningococcal C conjugate vaccine (brands include: Neis-vac, Menitorix) and the quadrivalent ACWY conjugate vaccine (brands include: Menactra, Menveo, Nimenrix). Please be aware that these are expensive vaccines, and we encourage the public to check with multiple pharmacies before purchasing, as we have been made aware that some are charging significantly higher prices than others.  The Ministry is currently working with the Fijian Consumer and Competition Commission to prevent price gouging in Fiji’s pharmacies.

Please keep in mind that vaccination is not a cure, it is only meant to prevent you from getting meningococcal C. We continue to strongly encourage the public to take simple preventative measures such as practicing proper hygiene, and identifying the early symptoms of the disease.

What should the community do?

Whilst meningococcal disease is still a rare disease in Fiji, the Ministry strongly encourages everyone to take simple steps to protect themselves and their loved ones:

• Be alert for the signs and symptoms of meningococcal disease and go immediately to the nearest health facility if you or your loved ones have any of these symptoms; and
• Practice good hygiene to help prevent the spread of the bacteria.

For more information, on prevention, and the signs and symptoms of meningococcal disease, please visit the Your Health section of the Ministry’s website: http://www.health.gov.fj

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Yako Village has become the latest community in the country to join the Community Health and Fitness Program following the launch by the Minister for Health and Medical Services Hon. Rosy Sofia Akbar at its village hall today. The village, through the programme, has received two fitness bikes, three sewing machines, and steam cooker sets.

Turaga ni Koro Samisoni Raidriwa said the villagers were honoured to have hosted the programme, adding that they would put these equipment to the best use.

“As the case in  Fijian settlements and villages, we only exercise when we are young, and as we grow older, we tend to stop doing things that help us stay fit and healthy,” he said.

“As a result of this we have five villagers who have undergone amputation. We have now realized the need to continuously engage in health and fitness exercises and we are grateful that we have now received these equipment.”

Minister Akbar urged the villager to use the equipment to its full potentials however, highlighted the need for the villagers to take ownership of the equipment through taking good care of it.

“I urge you all especially our mothers and the women of the village to also use this equipment because most of the time we are left behind but we must be able to stay fit and feed our family members healthy foods,” Minister Akbar said.

“Please take good care of the equipment because it is your equipment and everybody must take responsibility in its upkeep and maintenance.”

(Pictures from this event can be accessed from the Fijian Government Facebook page.)