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Australia’s assistance to Fiji’s health sector is consistent with their long history together, says Australia High Commissioner James Batley.
According to Batley, over the past five years, through the Fiji Health Sector Improvement Program (2004-2009), Australia has committed A$27 million to improve the quality and delivery of health services in the country, in partnership with the Health ministry.
He made the comments while speaking at the Fiji Nursing Association AGM in Suva over the weekend.
This program he said, has provided support to the ministry in the areas of rural and public health, information systems, clinical services, and management systems.
“For instance, we have:
• provided funding to help improve immunisation services for Fiji’s children;
• provided funding for the installation of radio telephones (RT), boats, and solar electrification projects in a number of rural and remote health centres; and
• supported a twinning arrangement between CWM Hospital and Sandringham Hospital in Victoria, which has helped to streamline CWM’s General Outpatient, and Accident & Emergency Department procedures. I understand this has resulted in a significant reduction in waiting times for patients at CWM.”
Batley said the program has also provided assistance to Fiji’s nurses where in 2008, for instance, Australia provided support to the Fiji School of Nursing through the development of a postgraduate midwifery curriculum, upgrading of library and IT resources, and the establishment of a research unit.
This he said, continued in 2009 with the development of a National Nursing Standards Handbook, Anaesthetic Technician training, and training of national Immunization Nurses.
“I’m pleased that Australia is also playing its part in supporting Fiji’s preparations in the fight against this the pandemic H1N1 disease.
“For instance Australian funding, through the WHO, has provided 15,750 courses of Tamiflu, which arrived in Fiji on 4 June 2009.”
He added that Australia is also working with the Health ministry, including by providing funding, to develop a H1N1 Influenza television and radio public awareness campaign; and to design and produce pamphlets to be given to passengers arriving in Fiji and for the general public.
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