The Pacific
The Pacific is home to some of the smallest, most widely dispersed and climatically vulnerable countries in the world and population pressure on available land is a crucial issue.
Other population factors such as high maternal and infant mortality rates are straining the already at risk people of the Pacific. In the Solomon Islands alone, 130 women out of every 100,000 die from complications from pregnancy and unsafe abortion - this is nearly 15 times the rate in Australia and other developed countries.
To meet this demand, Marie Stopes International Pacific (MSIP) works in collaboration with the Ministry of Health in Fiji and other partners in; Samoa, Tuvalu, Kiribati, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau.
In recent years, the focus in the Pacific has been on the HIV/AIDS epidemic spreading throughout the region. This focus is often separated from comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services. MSIP is working to prioritise sexual and reproductive health service provision and education, while continuing to tackle HIV/AIDS prevention as an important part of the bigger picture.
This integrated approach is especially important given that 85 per cent of all reported cases of HIV infection in Fiji are through heterosexual relationships, seven per cent are peri natal (passed from mother to child) and only five per cent are through same sex relationships.
To tackle the rising rates of HIV and STIs, and low condom usage, MSIP, in collaboration with the Secretariat of Pacific Communities, created its own brand of condoms called TRYTiME. The success of this program will see TRYTiME expand regionally into new Pacific nations.
In addition to contraceptive, MSIP has trained a team of peer educators in Fiji to provide outreach sessions. These sessions, give factory workers access to vital sexual and reproductive health information and in a convenient and culturally appropriate way. As part of this, the MSIP outreach teams have created innovative education materials, such as puppets, to deliver important health messages to these high-risk populations in a way that minimises embarrassment and encourages participation.
The key to our growing success in the Pacific has been the development of strong relationships with government and community groups. Ongoing collaboration with groups as diverse as the National Council of Women, the Fiji Red Cross Society, the Council of Chiefs, the South Pacific Commission and Ministries of Health helps us to ensure our programs meet the specific needs of the Pacific communities we work with.
To donate to ensure the continuation of this great program, and our other country programs, simply click on the link below.