Health Care Funding Disbursed in Favor of Urban Centers: Dr Fong
Funding for healthcare is often unfairly distributed in favor of urban centers.
Dr James Fong emphasised this during the 2nd Biennial Pacific Paediatric Association (PPA) Conference at the Novotel Hotel in Nadi yesterday.
The conference, with the theme of ‘Building Child Health Capacity in the region,’ followed a three-day regional Child Protection Training aimed at upskilling the local and regional workforce.
Dr Fong, the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Health and Medical Services said having a well-trained and skilled workforce was vital to any health system worldwide.
He noted that Fiji and the Pacific face similar development challenges, including political leadership and regionalism, peace and security, economic development, climate change, natural disasters, oceans and the environment, technology, and connectivity.
Additionally, he pointed out that funding for healthcare was often disbursed inequitably in favor of urban centers, and legal frameworks have discriminatory provisions concerning child protection and child justice.
Despite a decrease in child mortality rates since 1990, Dr Fong said the region has not met international development targets.
“The Pacific sub-region is home to 1.2 million children under 15 years, in 660 islands and atolls stretching across 17.2 million square kilometers of the Pacific Ocean,” he said.
The sub-region comprises 21 Pacific island nations.
Dr Frances Katonivualiku, a Health and Nutrition specialist, stressed the need to strengthen health coverage by focusing on the healthcare framework and the healthy island vision.
She highlighted the importance of having quality primary healthcare service delivery points to ensure that the community can trust the service and seek healthcare services at these points.