NEWS FROM THE ENTIRE PACIFIC REGION, thanks to YapStateGov.org: ANNOUNCEMENT: UB Program Soliciting For Bid Proposals For Lunch Service TORAAQ, Yap (COM-FSM/Media Division) — The Upward Bound Program at the College of Micronesia-FSM, Yap Campus is inviting all persons or groups with valid health certificates for food handling to submit bid proposals to provide lunch to 70 students for 30 days from June 23rd to August 1st, this summer. Closing Date All bid documents must include a valid health certificate for food handling and a daily menu. Bid documents must be received by June 13, 2014 by 5:00 PM to the Upward Bound Office at the College of Micronesia-FSM, Yap Campus. For additional information, please contact Teresa Filepin at Tel: (691)350-2296/5149 or Email: [email protected]. FSM First Lady Emma Nelson Mori Visits China BEIJING, China (FSM Embassy in Beijing/FSMIS, May 23, 2014) Federated States of Micronesia First Lady, Mrs. Emma Nelson Mori visited China (Beijing and Wuxi city) from May 14-19, 2014. Mrs. Mori was invited to China by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) to join the China international assembly in celebrating the 60th anniversary of the founding of the CPAFFC. Dignitaries and leaders from different chapters of China friendship associations worldwide came to Beijing for the occasion. The commemoration ceremony was held at the Great Hall of the People on May 15, 2014 hosted by the CPAFFC President, Madame Li Xiaolin. The Chinese Head of State, His Excellency President Xi Jinping was also at hand to welcome visiting dignitaries and address the assembly. After Beijing, the First Lady traveled to Wuxi city, Jiangsu province, to participate in the “World Woman Leadership Seminar.” The seminar was organized by the Wuxi Lingshan Charity Foundation in coordination with CPAFFC and the China Lingshan Council for the promotion of Philanthropy. The seminar provided a platform for female leaders to share experiences in their countries and join hands in their efforts to empower woman worldwide. For background information on the host organization that invited the First Lady to China, CPAFFC is one of China’s earliest organizations that carries out China’s people to people diplomacy to enhance peoples friendship, further international cooperation, safeguard world peace, and promote common development. It was founded in May 1954. The organizations goal is to promote friendship and mutual understanding between the Chinese people and other peoples throughout the world by initiating contacts and promoting exchanges with friendly organizations and people all over the globe. The FSM Chapter of the friendship association with China was established on January 21, 2011. Mrs. Mori is the Honorary President for the FSM Chapter. The First Lady was accompanied to China by the current sitting President of the FSM-China Friendship association, Mr. Duhlen L. Soumwei. Before Departing China on May 19, 2014, Mrs. Mori met with FSM Embassy staff and students residing in Beijing. She encouraged the FSM students to give their best efforts in school. For further information, contact the FSM Embassy in Beijing at Ph: (86)1065324708 or e-mail address: [email protected] Marshalls On Alert Following Measles Outbreak In Kosrae MAJURO, Marshall Islands (Marianas Variety, May 26, 2014) — Health authorities here are concerned about an outbreak of measles in Kosrae, an island state in neighboring Federated States of Micronesia. Marshalls Secretary of Health Julia Alfred issued a “warning” Friday for the public to be aware “that measles is in our region.” Federated States of Micronesia Director of Health Services Livinson Taulung issued a notice earlier to regional health authorities confirming that two of three suspected cases have been confirmed as measles (rubella). All are male infants under one year of age in Kosrae. Kosrae health officials sent serum specimens from the three infants to the Guam Public Health Laboratory, which confirmed two of three as rubella. Kosrae officials launched contact tracing in an effort to determine the source of the measles and possible spread. Kosrae officials said they were considering a measles vaccination campaign and checking school children to ensure they are up to date on immunizations. “Measles is highly contagious and Kosrae is just around the corner,” said Ministry of Health Public Health Administrator Mailynn Konelios-Langinlur to health officials on Majuro and Kwajalein. She notified “all physicians and nurses to be on high alert.” Kosrae has a population of about 8,000 people and is one of four states in the Federated States of Micronesia. It is about 580 miles southwest of Majuro. The two islands are linked by United Airlines, which flies an “island hopper” service connecting Honolulu and Guam with Majuro, Kwajalein, Kosrae, Pohnpei and Chuuk. CNMI Hospital Administrator Defends Records SAIPAN, CNMI (Saipan Tribune/PIR, May 26, 2014) — A week after the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. board gave its chief executive officer a vote of no-confidence, Esther L. Muna finally broke her silence, saying her actions are all in accordance with the public law that created the corporation, which defines her role as head of the agency. Muña got the no-confidence vote from four board members during last week’s meeting. A day after, a group of senior medical staffers led by Medical Affairs director Dr. Sherleen Osman rallied behind Muña and issued a joint statement expressing confidence in Muna’s leadership, saying CHC has evolved and come a long way from where it was 18 months ago. I am humbled by the support of the medical staff and others within and outside the organization. It is their opinion—the opinion of the patients and their families, the community, the medical staff and the rest of the CHCC staff—that matters to me most, Muña told Saipan Tribune. Gov. Eloy S. Inos said he would meet with the CHCC board and Muña after learning from reports that the CHC board and Muña are not on the same page on many of the issues so I might call for a meeting and find out what’s going on. I’m satisfied with what she’s doing. I guess if you don’t have her, who do you have right now? the governor said Friday. Anything that we do should be in the best interest of the citizens which is to make sure that the healthcare needs of the people are taken care of. The governor pointed out, however, that he has yet to know all the details; that’s why he might need to call both parties either to be a mediator or slam the hammer. As a governor, I’m going to have to do something, he added. According to Muña, the board of trustees’ role as an advisory board is very clear in the law and it should be adhered to. The advisory board knows that their role is not to govern and manage the day-to-day operations of CHCC. If I don’t call for meetings to get their advice or yield to them so they can manage our operations, I had hoped that they would understand that I’m simply following the law, Muña said. It will be recalled that Muña did not participate in the two-day board meeting last week where she was also accused by board members of continuing to ignore their requests for documents and records. Muna pointed out, though, that I have walked the halls of the hospital to see how our patients are doing and how busy our physicians and staff are and how difficult it is to work with the little we have. My role is to help them and that is what keeps me up at night. I know the struggles of our patients and our staff because I’m there. That is why I studied and work in health administration. What she would like to see, Muña said, is the board’s full support. What a wonderful combination it is to have an advisory board, comprised of individuals with business experience to provide financial investment ideas and work with the CEO in bringing the best healthcare to our people who deserve it so much. If they focus on that and I focus on what I need to do, that is achievable, she said. The CHCC board earlier said the no-confidence vote was issued as a warning for Muña to start working with them in order to achieve the unified mission of bringing quality healthcare to the public. Trustees accused her of not cooperating with the board. Being an advisory board, its no-confidence vote against Muña has no legal force and effect. Pressing Need To Strengthen Pacific Health Information NOUMEA, New Caledonia (Radio New Zealand International, May 26, 2014) — The Secretariat of the Pacific Community says there is a pressing need to strengthen health information in the region, to assess each countries priorities and inform better policies. The acting public health division director, Yvan Souares, says the SPC used the World Health Organisations Global Burden of Disease studies to see how Pacific health data was being interpreted. Dr. Souares says they found information had to be used with caution, as it lumped 23 countries of the region together. He says Papua New Guinea has a much greater weight in the group because of its larger population. The data in Papua New Guinea are not necessarily of a much better quality than other islands, most of the data that is available is coming from PNG because of the numbers, then the profile, demography profile and health profile of PNG influences the results and the findings for the whole Oceania region. Dr. Souares says improvements need to be made to build each countrys capacity, and at a regional level, in data analysis, use and sharing. Australian Aid Project Provides Clean Water Solutions To Save Kiribati Babies TARAWA, Kiribati (Radio Australia, May 26, 2014) — An Australian independent aid project is tackling water and sanitation problems in Kiribati to combat the nations high infant mortality rate. One in 20 newborns die before their first birthday because of illnesses related to unclean drinking water. The Island Rescue Project is providing solar powered water desalination equipment and water purifying kits to communities to prevent disease. Island Rescue founder Carol Armstrong told Pacific Beat the situation in Kiribati is unacceptable. Often a baby will be born and theres no water to wash the baby, and we cant even comprehend that in our lifestyle, she said. When one in 20 babies are dying from diarrhea and other treatable diseases its just not acceptable in this day and age. As the parents are suffering from diarrhea and other infections, theyre going to pass that onto the children too. Ms. Armstrongs organization is teaching communities to make household sized solar-powered desalination units to produce enough clean drinking water for families. They have also been promised a commercial-size osmosis desalination plant by a major water company. The Island Rescue Project will also provide water treatments including LifeStraw filters, which filter out 99 per cent of parasites, looking into community sized filter units. Ms. Armstrong says the situation in Kiribati needed urgent attention. There really isnt adequate water supplies for the island population, she said. I just had to do something about it. Ms. Armstrong believes the situation in Kiribati has been overlooked. Theyve had a lot of foreign aid but it just doesnt go quite far enough, she said. The government is struggling financially to cover all the areas that need to be addressed so mothers and babies health, although its important is a little further down the list.
Posted on: Mon, 26 May 2014 15:07:44 +0000