1. PRESIDENT TO ATTEND INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON HIV/AIDS – The President His Excellency Ratu Epeli Nailatikau will be departing the country today to attend the 11th International Congress on HIV and AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP 11).
2. ART TO PROMOTE HEALTHY LIVING – For the first time ever, the Ministry of Health would be promoting healthy living through the use of art.
3. PS EDUCATION VISITS VALELAWA PRIMARY SCHOOL – Government is focused on ensuring that education offered to all Fijians is accessible and affordable. This was the message from the Ministry of Education permanent secretary, Dr Brij Lal during his visit to Valelawa Primary School in Labasa this week.
1. PRESIDENT TO ATTEND INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON HIV/AIDS
The President His Excellency Ratu Epeli Nailatikau will be departing the country today to attend the 11th International Congress on HIV and AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP 11).
ICAAP 11 is coordinated by UNAIDS under the ambit of the United Nations.
Ratu Epeli has been invited to speak at eight sessions during the Congress, including the official opening ceremony where the Prime Minister of Thailand is also expected to address the congress; at the Leadership Forum; the Pacific Forum; at a meeting of high-level leaders with youth participants; in addition to delivering the summary statement at the end of the Leadership Forum and a number of press conferences.
Ratu Epeli returns on November 25, 2013.
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2. ART TO PROMOTE HEALTHY LIVING
For the first time ever, the Ministry of Health would be promoting healthy living through the use of art.
NCDs national advisor, Dr Isimeli Tukana said so far the ministry had been addressing and raising awareness on Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) scientifically but the new approach of using art has been adopted to touch people’s heart.
“We are trying to change behaviour through the use of art, culture and music which relates to people. We are reviewing our NCD plan and will come up with a new strategic plan for Fiji. This arts project interested us because it talks about teaching children not from curriculum side but from an arts perspective,” Dr Tukuna said.
He said the ministry is collaborating with the Fiji National University (FNU) and Educating for Sustainable Livelihoods Project team to tackle the increasing cases of NCDs in the country.
The art exhibition called Sokota opens to public on November 15 at the Fiji National University, Raiwai Campus and will feature 19 artists depicting NCD crisis through their artwork.
“Statistics from our survey shows that diabetes has risen from 16 per cent in 2002 to 30 per cent this year. The same is for high blood pressure at 30 per cent for 2013. Every year we are increasing one per cent and there might be at least 100,000 people in Fiji with high blood pressure and high blood sugar for adults. This is very worrying,” Dr Tukuna said.
The Health Ministry has received $222million for 2014 budget of which National Centre for Health Promotion has been allocated $400,000 to promote and raise awareness on NCDs.
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3. PS EDUCATION VISITS VALELAWA PRIMARY SCHOOL
Government is focused on ensuring that education offered to all Fijians is accessible and affordable.
This was the message from the Ministry of Education permanent secretary, Dr Brij Lal during his visit to Valelawa Primary School in Labasa this week.
Dr Lal, while visiting the developments at the school, expressed his appreciation to the management and teachers of the school for their initiative in the installation of solar system at the school.
The system supplies power to all the electronic devices in the school.
“This is the kind of initiatives we want to see manifested in all the schools, leaders and management taking a proactive role to meet the educational demand in their schools. The Government will assist in all avenues possible but the onus is on the administrators in the school level to initiate measures that will foster teaching and learning,” Dr Lal said.
In addressing the students, Dr Lal encouraged them to work hard and strive to reach the highest level of education possible.
Dr Lal also had a brief session with the teachers of the school and offered professional advice to the teachers on the implementation of the new reforms in the education sector in 2014.
“We will have to work together to ensure that reforms implemented will positively impact the lives of the children that we serve to build a smarter Fiji. The focus of the government is to ensure that education offered is accessible and affordable.
“The new constitution and budget charts the direction to undertake to ensure that all children of this nation receive the best in education and you are the agents to see that this is realized in your schools,” Dr Lal added.
The permanent secretary also made courtesy visits to Muanidevo Sanatan School and Naduri Primary School.
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