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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.

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.