Medical Services Pacific Outreach Team Takes Rotuma
Rotuma Outreach Team
It is an exciting time at the Medical Services Pacific (MSP) office in Suva. Our outreach team has travelled to far-flung Rotuma for two full weeks to provide much-needed medical services and educational programs to the remotest maritime islands.
This is the first trip to the island of Rotuma by the MSP Outreach team, who have identified a need for their health and social services in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services.
The MSP team includes a registered nurse, registered lawyer, a qualified Rotuman Counsellor and field staff. The Outreach team will provide integrated Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (Child Protection) services and promote awareness of the national Child Helpline.
The outreach is only made possible through the support and funding provided by Fiji Women’s Fund.
In Rotuma, MSP staff will collaborate with the divisional medical teams, district education officers, and government stakeholders to build relationships, strengthen referrals and ensure sustainable service provision. We hope to return with a better understanding of the services needed, and a lot of new friends and colleagues.
MSP is expected to visit all districts in Rotuma, namely Noa’tau, Oinafa, Pepji, Mala’a, Itumuta, and Juju. Here we will be providing Family Planning Services, Cervical, Prostate and Breast Cancer Checks, as well as education on Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights, Child Protection, Gender based Violence, and Maternal Health.
In local communities, MSP provides Child Protection awareness and training for both adults and children and promotes the use of the Child Helpline to report cases of child abuse or to obtain information and social services. MSP offers age-appropriate Reproductive Health classes with their trademark Girl Empowered materials for teenagers.
The team of educators and medical staff departed on the 8th of February in 2019 and will return two weeks later on the 22nd of February.
With them they will bring stories, successes, and insights about services needed in Rotuma and greater Fiji.