5 September 2022
The Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) is targeting Malaria hotspot areas, starting with Central Province.
Malaria incidence rates have soared in Honiara, Guadalcanal, Malaita and in the Central Province. The Health Ministry says reversing the trend will require what’s often been termed as the ‘healthy setting initiative.’
The healthy setting initiative involves tackling malaria at the community level, and will be delivered as part of the overall MHMS village healthy setting initiative that is being rolled out nationwide.
It will incorporate many other health aspects including clean and safe drinking water, proper sanitation, and personal hygiene.
Trainings were conducted in Communities in the Central Province including Boromole, Halavo, Haroro, and Niuvunuha.
“The training objective is to establish a healthy village action plan for the communities to effectively intervene and address themselves increasing problem of Malaria and other diseases related to Rural Water Sanitation and Hygiene (RWASH),” said Mr. Ben Rickie, National Healthy Settings Coordinator of the Ministry of Health.
“During the training participants were trained on the simple steps and processes to establish healthy settings interventions and action plans in their villages, prioritizing malaria since the province has been flagged to have high prevalence of malaria cases”, Mr. Rickie explained.
He also highlighted that the training also brought together health committees or community elders and leaders, Church and organizational representatives where they are introduced to the healthy islands concept approach and the importance of combined effort and cooperation across all levels of community governance.
Mr Rickie said that he is pleased that the trainings had enlightened and motivated village leaders who with the support of the facilitators developed their own community action plan and resolutions to address malaria and WASH issues in their communities.
He thanked the Provincial Health Director arnd their administration of Provincial Health and Medical Services in the Central Islands Province, Malaria Division and staffs of CIP for the use of funds allocated from malaria program in CIP.
Source: MHMS Media
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
