Ms Bidisha Pillai, UNFPA Pacific Director and Representative in Fiji; Penioni Koliniwai Ravunawa, Fiji Assistant Minister for Health and Medical Services; and H.E. Ms Charlotte Darlow, New Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji, during the launch of the Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Adolescent Health (SRMNAH) Project for Women, Adolescents and Youth in Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu

Director and Representative of the United Nations Population Fund Pacific, Bidisha Pillai, is stressing the importance of strengthening referral pathway systems for women and young girls to access sexual and reproductive health services.

Pillai says that UNFPA has launched a new project in three Pacific countries, Tonga, Fiji, and Vanuatu, aimed at improving access to healthcare in remote areas.

She explains that through this project, primary health care centers in these communities will be better equipped with trained professionals who can identify high-risk pregnancies early and provide timely support.

The UNFPA says that once trained, health professionals are able to identify high-risk pregnancies early, it will help prevent last-minute transfers of mothers to primary, secondary, or tertiary health facilities when complications arise.

“You know you can do that in advance, so strengthening this referral mechanism is something that we also want to do through this project to be able to tackle exactly those situations.”

Pillai stresses that young mothers must complete their antenatal check-ups to reduce risks during pregnancy and childbirth.

New Zealand High Commissioner to Fiji, Charlotte Darlow, says New Zealand remains committed to supporting Pacific countries in addressing sexual and reproductive health and rights issues.

“Part of the rationale behind the design was that we know that sexual reproductive health and rights is an area that’s traditionally under-invested in, but it’s part of the core essence of public health, supporting women during their reproductive years, supporting youths, supporting teenagers and adolescents.”

Darlow adds that this area has long been under-invested in, yet it is a fundamental part of public health, essential to supporting women throughout their reproductive years.

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