Partnerships will be built nationally, regionally and internationally in order to achieve the vision of “accessible quality health for all Cook Islanders”. In order to achieve this vision, nine health issues are targeted for priority action.
1. Expanded programme on immunization
The current immunization coverage rate is 90% or more for childhood diseases. The expanded programme on immunization continues to pursue 100% coverage with the following objectives:
- to improve accessibility particularly to outer islands and hard-to-reach communities;
- to upgrade skills of existing health personnel;
- to upgrade equipment and facilities;
- to improve management and supervision and co-ordination; and
- to put in place protocols for quality.
2. Sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS
The prevalence of trichomoniasis and chlamydia is relatively high. The prevalence of condom use is low. The objective is to develop a strategy on STI control, intensify sexual health education and promotion of condom use, and explore the need for qualified counsellors.
3. Communicable disease surveillance and response
This programme focuses on increasing awareness, formulating and developing protocol on dengue management to avoid future epidemics of dengue fever, as well as improving the service delivery on vector control programme, and surveillance.
4. Healthy settings and environment
A healthy environment will be created and promoted through a multisectoral approach and partnership to improve healthy lifestyles, to minimize the risk of disease and to reduce the need for hospital and other health services through:
- evaluating the effectiveness of health education and promotion activities and strengthen concepts approach; and
- providing special training for health personnel and other stakeholder agencies in order to execute service deliveries satisfactorily.
5. Child and adolescent health and development
Child and adolescence health will be further strengthened through increasing awareness of risky behaviours, reducing teenage pregnancy and reducing STI, with emphasis on:
- conducting seminars that target adolescents to enhance knowledge of safer sex practices; and
- increasing knowledge on risky behaviours through awareness programmes on television, radio and through newspaper articles.
6. Reproductive health
There are insufficiently trained and skilled personnel to provide quality reproductive health services at various levels of the health care system. At present, there is only one family planning nurse assisted by a retired staff nurse. There is an immediate need to train younger nurses in technical and management skills.
The responsibilities of husbands or male partners will be emphasized. Through training, their awareness and understanding of the reproductive health needs of women, care during pregnancy, childbirth, after delivery and family planning will be enhanced.
7. Noncommunicable diseases and mental health
A more vigorous effort will be made to change the attitude of people through health education and promotion. Training of health educators technically in healthy living (e.g. diet, exercise) is a part and parcel of this programme. Monitoring and management of noncommunicable diseases will be strengthened.
Properly trained dental personnel for each island are required to strengthen preventive dental care and treatment of common dental diseases. There will also be a need to upgrade facilities including rooms and dental equipment.
8. Tobacco Free Initiative
The Global Youth Tobacco Survey conducted in 2002 needs to be extended to examine smoking prevalence and consumption among for adults.
The results of the survey will determine and guide development of the tobacco control programme and strengthen nationwide promotion of healthy lifestyles and reduce the toll of tobacco-related mortality and associated diseases.
9. Human resource development
Workforce planning has been identified as the key strategy to meet the need for skilled health workers. An increase in the number of qualified health workers with skills tailored toward specific needs of the population is critical if health objectives are to be met.
Developing leadership and management skills will be essential in the transformation of the quality of care currently being delivered to the people of the Cook Islands. Training is needed to help health personnel communicate with, inform and educate their patients.