The isolation of Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICT’s) are part of the regions appeal for visitors looking to escape city life for a while. But this isolation also creates unique transportation and knowledge management challenges which are important for maintaining basic services and goods. Nowhere is this challenge more pronounced than health, where close regional cooperation, rapid responses, and efficient transport times are essential.
Infection, prevention, and control (IPC) focal points from Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga, Kiribati, and Solomon Islands successfully completed a 10-hour hand hygiene Gold standard auditors training. They are now recognised as the first cohort of IPC focal points in the Pacific as Hand Hygiene Australia (HHA) Gold Standard Compliance Auditors & Assessors, and are now able to train general auditors making the program more sustainable at country level.
The training was held virtually during the first week of April and was facilitated by Kate Ryan, HHA Manager and Program coordinator.
For the third consecutive year, young people from different Pacific island states and territories have the opportunity to spread prevention and control messages for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) using different media, thanks to the Wake Up! Project, launched in 2017, with financial support from the Pacific Fund (France) and the Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), and implemented by the Pacific Community (SPC).
(disponible en anglais seulement)
This training module is part of the Postgraduate Certificate in Field Epidemiology (PGCFE) training programme accredited by FNU.
Every year since 2017, with the financial support of the French Pacific Fund and the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT),the Pacific Community (SPC) has hosted Pacific youth to take part in the “Wake Up!” project.
Non-communicable diseases (NCD) account for around 75% of all deaths in the Pacific including the Solomon Islands, creating a ‘human, social and economic crisis’ and representing a hurdle to the healthy island vision and a barrier to achieving sustainable development goals.
In a world-first, a survey module about back pain, arthritis and other musculoskeletal health problems is being piloted in the Solomon Islands national Demographic and Health Survey this month.
The musculoskeletal survey module has been developed by the Global Alliance for Musculoskeletal Health and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC).
