Health

Universities to take lead role in promoting health & wellness

April 29, 2019 4:14 pm

Doctor Ifereimi Waqainabete while launching USP's 2019 Health Week in Suva [Source: Fijian Government]

Tertiary institutions around the country must take the lead in providing an environment that promotes the health and wellbeing of students.

Launching USP’s 2019 Health Week in Suva today, Minister responsible Doctor Ifereimi Waqainabete says students should be empowered to make informed choices regarding their health.

“Existing Health Status report in the Pacific shows there are significant health problems in NCD, CD.STI, and HIV. Our data shows that we have about 900 in this nation with HIV. So 50% of the Pacific population are below the age of 25 and a significant part of USP population is within this cohort.”

Article continues after advertisement

Dr Waqainabete says nutrition and exercise remain a key challenge to addressing non-communicable diseases.

“Create a wellness clinic for current illnesses and to also monitor obesity, high blood and the students who have been found to have this, the mechanisms in place through the USP wellness centre and the clinic and also through the ministry of health and medical services to support them.”

USP’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education, Professor Richard Coll says the one-week program aims to ensure students take responsibility for their own health.

The Ministry says the Pacific has a youthful population and Fiji needs to respond to the health challenges in a smart way.