Councilor Rose Peter organizes health checks for voters

Over 100 mostly men and women in Ohlen Freswind, Ohlen Mataso and Ohlen Whitewood areas of the North Ward of Port Vila received free medical checks by members of the Vanuatu Indigenous Medical, Allied Health and Nurses Private Practitioners’ Association (VIMAHNPPA) last Thursday.

The free health checks was organized by Councilor Rose Peter and was held at the small clinic she operates from her home at Ohlen Freswin.

Councilor Peter says many of the people at those Ohlen areas cannot afford bus fares to get to Vila Central Hospital to get tested especially for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and as a result many frequently have health issues.

“I went to a number of health service providers to get them to come and do health checks for the people in my ward, but all of them were too expensive,” she said.

She found out about the VIMAHNPPA and when she approached them early last week they said they were able to do the checks free of charge on Thursday and she was elated.

Hence, on Thursday Dr. Griffith Harrison, with one dietician and five nurses were at Cr. Peter’s clinic and performed full checkups for over a hundred people who received the free service.

They were registered, had their blood pressure and blood sugar taken, height, weight, chest, neck and waist measured to check for cholesterol before they received consultation on their results from Dr. Harrison.

Members of the VIMAHNPPA also gave awareness messages on NCDs including heart diseases, diabetes, and cancers prior to and during the health check process.

“Vanuatu is rated 6th in the world on NCD or lifestyle diseases, which is very high. People in Vanuatu should live to over 60 years of age, but many are today dying before this age and are leaving many widows behind,” Dietician Maturine Tary told those gathered for the free health service.

“Now, there is need for the private medical practitioners and Government to work together to tackle the situation.

“Health is not only government’s or a councilor’s business but it belongs to all of us,” she adds, “let’s put jealousy aside.

“If a woman is doing something good for the community, let us all support her work,” Tary says in reference to Councilor Peter’s efforts and thanked her for requesting their contribution.

Ms. Tary’s message was emphasized by Dr. Griffith Harrison, a physician who worked for many years at the VCH, that Vanuatu’s current life expectancy is 69 years for men and 71 for women, but that many people today are dying before age 59 as a result of lifestyle disease.

Key facts from the World Health Organization — Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) kill 38 million people worldwide each year. Almost three quarters of NCD deaths — 28 million — occur in low- and middle-income countries. Sixteen million NCD deaths occur before the age of 70; 82% of these “premature” deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries.

Cardiovascular diseases account for most NCD deaths, or 17.5 million people annually, followed by cancers (8.2 million), respiratory diseases (4 million), and diabetes (1.5 million). These 4 groups of diseases account for 82% of all NCD deaths. Tobacco use, physical inactivity, the harmful use of alcohol and unhealthy diets all increase the risk of dying from an NCD.

The VIMAHNPPA was formed in May following consultations with and instigation from the Minister of Health, Toara Daniel. Every Thursday members of the association visit communities in and around Port Vila and provide free medical consultation.