22 June 2022
The Stimulating Progress Towards Improved Rural Electrification in Solomon Islands Project was recently launched with the goal of improving Rural Electricity in Solomon Islands rural areas by using Renewable Energy Methods while reducing Green House Gas Emissions simultaneously.
Source: UNDP
The Solomon Islands Government, through the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification (MMERE), Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology (MECDM), has joined forces with the UNDP to develop the SPIRES project website, aiming to promote rural electricity, clean and renewable energy
The Stimulating Progress Towards Improved Rural Electrification in Solomon Islands Project was recently launched with the goal of improving Rural Electricity in Solomon Islands rural areas by using Renewable Energy Methods while reducing Green House Gas Emissions simultaneously.
Providing renewable energy (RE) to rural communities of Solomon Islands remains one of the biggest challenges most communities face.
The website https://spires.gov.sb will serve as the communication bridge and an information gateway on the activities that are being undertaken by the Project and its partners. It also offers an opportunity for the public and beneficiaries to track progress and ensure full transparency in the utilization of project human and financial resources as it works to increase access to renewable energy in the selected locations.
Speaking about rural electrification, Chris Vehe (PhD), the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification noted, “Access to energy [for Solomon Islanders] is not just about enhancing economic productivity, but more an enabler of long-term society-wide benefits, ranging from reducing poverty and improving health to enhancing educational opportunities.”
“As we move towards a more digitized community, access to energy remains crucial for both individual well-being and national economic development. The Ministry’s priority is to improve barriers standing in the way of promoting Renewable Energy in the rural areas by implementing projects such as SPIRES,” Vehe (PhD) added.
Reiterating UNDP’s commitment to supporting Solomon Islands to make access to sustainable and renewable energy accessible to all, Mr Berdi Berdiyev, UNDP Country Manager for Solomon Islands highlighted that the partnership between SPIRES and UNDP helps make progress towards SDG 7, with encouraging signs that energy is becoming more sustainable and widely available in the Solomons.
“By building solar panels as a pathway of a change framework, the Project is fully embedded in national development goals. Green energy is one of the most important inputs for economic growth and human development, and we must ensure everyone has access to it,” said Mr.Berdiyev.
The SPIRES project is being implemented by the Ministry of Mines, Energy & Rural Electrification under its Energy division with financial support from the Global Environmental Facility through the UN Development Programme.
Source: Press Release, UNDP Solomon Islands
Health Training Rolled out Ahead of Opening Borders
The training in Infections, Prevention and Control (IPC) guideline 2021 were facilitated for health care, medical and public health officers along the Western Border, mainly in the Shortland, Western Province, and in Choiseul province.
Source: MHMS
The Ministry of Health continues to further enhance Infection, Prevention, and Control (IPC) measures in health facilities along the border, ahead of the reopening of borders on the 25th of July 2022.
As part of this effort, a refresher training was conducted this and the previous week on the National IPC guideline 2021, for health care workers, medical and public health officers including corporate service staff in health facilities along the Western Border, mainly in the Shortland, Western Province, and health workers across health facilities in Choiseul province.
A team of two from the Ministry of Health, the National Coordinator of Infection Prevention and Control Program Jane Saepioh and Health Promotion Officer, Dian Maggie Row, were in the province to support the IPC team to conduct the training.
The purpose of this training is to increase the knowledge and skills of healthcare practices on the current evidence-based information on the implementation of the national IPC guidelines 2021 on preventing and controlling the spread of infections within healthcare settings, with the perception that provides motivation for individuals to change behavior and practice.
Dr. Nemia Bainivalu, Incident Controller, National Health Emergency Operation Centre (NHEOC) of the Ministry of Health explained that apart from the borders reopening, health continues to record several COVID-19 positive cases that are of concern in Western and Choiseul provinces hence the prioritization of these two provinces for the roll-out of the IPC training.
“Furthermore, such training is also important to strengthen the preparedness of health workers for possible future outbreaks of diseases. Therefore, we are pleased to have deployed our national team to support the provincial health teams to conduct the training and sensitize our health workers on the new IPC guideline”, highlighted Dr. Bainivalu.
The Incident Controller thanked the provincial health directors, facilitators, and participants for great teamwork that will go long way toward ensuring any gaps and potential areas for infectious diseases to transmit amongst and between health workers, patients, and visitors are mitigated.
The deployment and training were made possible through the funding support of the World Bank under its emergency response project and in the fight against COVID-19 and ongoing efforts to strengthen and improve health systems.
“A huge thank you to the World Bank for the funds that have enabled the IPC training to happen. In fact, funds provided by World Bank have made significant contributions toward health’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak from meeting operational costs, hundreds of thousands of IPC and PPEs supplies, to the procurement of accessories for COVId-19 testing machines among many others”, thank you very much World Bank, said Dr. Bainivalu.
Provincial Health Directors for both provinces, Dr. Dickson Boara for Western Province and Mr. William Timba for Choiseul thanked the NHEOC for the deployment of the national team to support the province while emphasizing the importance of the training due to ongoing border crossings along the western border that may intensify once borders fully open.
Source: Press Release, Ministry of Health and Medical Services
Solomon Islands Currently 5th in Medal Tally at Pacific Mini-Games
Solomon Islands are currently on 3 Gold Medals, 12 Silver Medals and 2 Bronze Medals.
Solomon Islands currently sits at 5th place in the medal tally at the Northern Marianas 2022 Pacific Mini-Games.
Solomon Islands has a higher medal count overall, hauling in 17 medals, all of it coming from weightlifting. Solomon Islands are currently on 3 Gold Medals, 12 Silver Medals and 2 Bronze Medals.
PNG leads the count with 7 Gold Medals, 3 Silver Medals and 2 Bronze Medals. They are followed closely by Tahiti with 7 Gold Medals 2 Silver Medals and 1 Bronze Medal.
Guam is third with 5 Gold Medals 1 Silver Medal and 9 Bronze Medal. The Northern Marianas is on fourth with 4 Gold Medals, 1 Silver Medal and 1 Bronze Medal.
Jenly Tegu Wini bagged 3 Gold Medals, other results as follows;
- Stan Eddie Donga 2 Silver Medals
- Mary Lini Kefu 3 Silver Medals
- Rowena Eddie Donga 1 Silver Medal and 2 Bronze Medals
- Philip Masi 3 Silver Medals
- Brown Chester Ramohaka 3 Silver Medals
Source – Solomon Times Online.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
