Australia Funds Fiji Health Project

MEDIA RELEASE

Released By:
Sullivan

I am pleased to announce the Australian
Government will provide up to $A11 million to assist in the development of
health services on the island of Taveuni in Fiji.

The Taveuni Rural and Community Health
Project is a high profile project for both the Australian and Fiji Governments
and follows the completion of a similar project on the island of Kadavu in 1997.

In an address this morning to the
Parliament of Fiji, the President, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, referred to the
Taveuni health project as an important upgrade of his country's health
services.

The project is designed both to reduce the
incidence and prevalence of diseases which contribute to high rates of morbidity
and mortality, and to improve the self-reliance and social welfare of the
community.

As part of the project, Australia will
construct and fit out a new 22-bed hospital, convert the existing hospital into
a public health and outreach centre, and upgrade rural nursing stations, health
centres and staff housing on the isolated island.

The project will also include an important
training component to assist Ministry of Health staff and community personnel in
providing effective preventive and primary health care.

Although the overall health status of
Fiji's population is generally above that of many developing countries, isolated
areas such as the island of Taveuni suffer from inadequate sanitation, water,
power and communications, as well as a lack of knowledge about health issues. On
Taveuni, the population of approximately 14,000 is burdened by communicable and
non-communicable disease, and the average age of death is 52 (compared with the
national average of more than 70).

Faced with such challenges, there is a
clear need for the development of health services in an integrated manner,
combining community health education and awareness with improved infrastructure.

Funds for the project will be provided
through the Australian Government's Australian Agency for International
Development, AusAID, and will complement other AusAID activities in the health
sector in Fiji.