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By - Jeffrey So, Volunteer Dietitian – VSHC Every time we talk about sugar, we think of it as the ultimate “villain” to our health. But this is not quite right. First we need to know what sugars are and which ones we should be eating. All sugars are carbohydrates - they make us satisfied and energetic. We need carbohydrates in our diet as they provide a large proportion of energy we need to move our bodies, and for our organs to function. Sugars will eventually be broken down into… Read more >>

Identifying Iron Deficiency Anaemia. What you eat can make a difference between weak and strong, healthy blood. By - Jeffrey So, Volunteer Dietitian Nutritionist. Ever wonder why you or your children come across as tired, weak and lethargic, or feeling frequent headaches, dizziness or hard to concentrate, it could be a sign of anaemia. People who are anaemic can also present with pale skins, eyelids and gums as well as hair loss. The word ‘anaemia’ in Greek literally means “without blood”. It is a condition when you have fewer red… Read more >>

On 28th July, 2015 VSHC staff were invited to participate in a meeting organised by the I Taukei Communities where they facilitated a session on Wellness with relevance to development & health. Mosese Baseisei contributed by putting together a teaching module together with its session plans. The venue for the meeting was CATD Nadave. Meeting Report Though VSHC will never be known as one of the CSO’s participating in the write up of a curriculum that is intended to equip traditional and community leaders in this modern era, it will however be… Read more >>

By - Lauren Houston, Volunteer Nutritionist. The increase in portion sizes is a major contributor to why more and more Itaukei and Fijians of Indian decent are loosing the battle with obesity and lifestyle diseases such as diabetes. From the latest national STEPs survey (2011) the prevalence of obesity has risen by 8.5% since 2002, with 32.1% of Fijian adults now classified as obese. This is also evident in that Fijians are also getting wider as the average waist circumference of males has risen by 4cm and females 5.2cm. The… Read more >>

“Love all serve all” is a theme that should be engraved in the hearts of men no matter what aspect of the service we are in; this is in light of our roles and responsibilities as individuals, community and as a nation. The first day my colleague Fane Rabici and I arrived at Viseisei Sai Health Centre as part of our attachment as final year students in medical school, we noticed this motto being part of the day-to day conduct of the Health Centre. I for one did not have… Read more >>

Highlights of Community Health Workers Activities since June 2015 Extension 1. Sovaia Matebau Vuda Back Road Support from FEA Staff & Advisory Councillor. Sovaia has been trying her best to solicit support for the establishment of a health committee in her community. The staffs of the Fiji Electricity Authority Control Centre have been very supportive in her work. They have just requested Sovaia in her capacity as a CHW to identify those families who are in dire need of assistance. They have indicated that they will be her support committee.… Read more >>

Since VSHC was established in 2011, the founders and the staff have worked to create vibrant gardens and a food forest. These gardens are now producing an abundance of fruit and vegetables, providing fresh produce for the team at VSHC. Fresh produce from the garden Lachman and Sukhu (Gardeners) One of the activities of the non-communicable disease intervention project is to promote backyard gardening.  Growing fruit and vegetables is an important activity for health as it is a form of physical activity and encourages people to eat fresh produce. Gardening… Read more >>

Two Trainee Interns Adi Fane Rabici and Faurina Panapasa recently completed their training at VSHC. At the completion of their training they gave a presentation, which can be viewed here. Task Presentation. Adi Fane Rabici at front left and Faurina Panapasa front right with VSHC staff. Read more >>

Four Trainee Interns (TI's) from Sigatoka completed their training at VSHC on June 19th. At the completion of their training they each gave a presentation, which can be viewed below. Steps Survey by Suzianna Raza. The Healthy Islands Policy and the MDG's by Glenus Mishra. NCD Crisis and Reproductive Health by Repa Ben. Levels of Health Care by Vanita Vandana. The Trainee Interns who were at VSHC in June.  left to right - Glenus Mishra, Vinita Vandana , Repa Ben and Suzianna Raza. Read more >>

As part of the NCD intervention in Veseisei Village, the Trainee Interns (Tis) on their public health attachment from FNU started an initiative to combat this issue of smoking tobacco. A meeting with the assistant Turaga ni Koro was arranged to discuss the idea of declaring Veseisei village a Tobacco Free village. An informal meeting took place with the Turaga ni koro to discuss the issue, and a meeting and presentation was arranged with the the Turaga ni Koro and his assistant. On Thursday the 18th of June the TIs… Read more >>