College Research Arm Gets $1.4m from Aust Alliance
The Fiji Institute of Pacific Health Research has been awarded $1.4million for a five-year implementation research project to strengthen policies to tackle diabetes and hypertension.
The institute comes under the Fiji National University’s College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences.
The funding was provided by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council. Associate Dean Research, Dr Donald Wilson said: “The George Institute (TGI) for Global Health will work with colleagues from the institute, FNU and the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) as well as food policy experts from Deakin University and the University of Sydney. “This is to implement a five-year research project to examine the best fiscal and regulatory policies to reduce sugar and salt consumption.”
Dr Wilson said the team would monitor the process, impact and the cost-effectiveness of several strategies designed to tackle the high rates of diabetes and hypertension.
“The Head of the Pacific Research Centre for the
Prevention of Obesity and Non-Communicable Diseases (C-POND), Dr Gade Waqa, is one of the Chief Investigators on the project, and she will be collaborating with TGI to lead this study to strengthen and monitor food policy in Fiji and Samoa,” he said.
Dr Waqa said: “Diet-related diseases are increasing in the region and this project will enable us to engage with governments to put better policies in place to reverse the situation.” Meanwhile, Associate Professor Jacqui Webster, Head of Advocacy and Policy Impact at TGI and Chief Investigator on the grant said: “Hypertension and diabetes are huge problems worldwide and particularly in the Pacific.
“We urgently need proven interventions that are tailored to the local population, and that can be implemented at a national level.”