News : Collective Community Ownership of Health and Social Issues

Archives

Lauren Deakin is a Registered Nurse with a Masters in Public Health and Tropical Medicine. She volunteered at Viseisei Sai Health Centre from January 2017 to May 2018 as a Public Health Communications Mentor through Australian Volunteers International. Here is her personal reflection of her time spent volunteering at VSHC: My time spent at Viseisei Sai Health Centre is something I will never forget. When I began my contract in January 2017 I was warmly welcomed into the Viseisei project team, already 9 or so months into the EU funded… Read more >>

The CCOHSI Project commenced in January 2016 and completed April 2018.  This 27 month project aimed to strengthen VSHC to empower existing community structures and leaders. The aim was for them to take ownership of, and express their need to tackle health and social issues, which impinge on human rights and socio economic productivity within their communities. The project was primarily funded by the European Union with contributions also coming from VSHC and Empower Pacific. The final event was held, for the communities, stakeholders and funders involved in the project,… Read more >>

Last week the CCOHSI Project team participated in a 1 week (9th March – 16th March) workshop on Statistical Analysis of CCOHSI Data with Professor Gillian Heller, Head of Department Statistics, Macquarie University, New South Wales. Professor Heller upskilled the team in multiple areas including: Importance of data cleaning and coding Importance of appropriate questionnaire questions to obtain relevant data Data interpretation and analysis Use of SPSS software in statistical data analysis See pictures below of Professor Heller working with the CCOHSI Project team. Dr. Swaran, Lauren and Professor Heller… Read more >>

CCOHSI Project update   We recently had a European Union blogger, Lauren Chan, join the CCOHSI team on a visit to some of the project communities in Saru Village, Vatulaulau Settlement and Yavuna Village. Lauren aimed to gain understanding of the Collective Community Ownership of Health and Social Issues (CCOHSI) Project and subsequently wrote two short blog posts focusing on some of the significant stories and achievements of the project, the Community Health Workers and the communities themselves. Clink on the two links below to view her inspiring blog posts:… Read more >>

     VSHC 16 Days of Activism | 8th December 2017 Stakeholder Event The 16 days of Activism event was Organised by the VSHC CCOHSI Team with the assistance of the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation. Other Stakeholders: Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Empower Pacific, Fiji Police Force. Number of attendees: Approximately 200. Between the 25th of November and the 10th of December the United Nations has set aside 16 Days for Activism towards elimination of Violence Against Women. To mark this… Read more >>

Yesterday the Viseisei Sai Health Centre team said goodbye to one of CCOHSI team members, Nisha Khan. Nisha has been with VSHC, seconded from Empower Pacific (who are partners in the CCOHSI Project) since April 2016 working on the Collective Community Ownership of Health and Social Issues (CCOHSI) Project as a Counsellor and Social Worker. Nisha has been a key member of not only our CCOHSI team but has made a positive and lasting impact on the communities and individuals she has encountered through her work on the project. We… Read more >>

Lauren completed a Bachelor in Human Movement from University of Ballarat in 2004, and a Masters in Physiotherapy Studies from University of Queensland in 2009. She is currently completing a Masters in Public Health. Lauren has primarily worked in hospitals and community settings, including aged, remote and disability work.  Lauren has previously lived and volunteered for several years in Ghana and Kenya in community development and physiotherapy. She commenced at Viseisei Sai Health Centre in June 2017 as a Community Health Promotion Officer through AVI, where she will be based… Read more >>

Depression #LetsTalk Depression is the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide currently affecting over 300 million people, an increase of more than 18% between 2005 and 2015. The World Health Organisation held the first World Health Assembly in 1948 where it was decided that the 7th of April each year would be declared ‘World Health Day’ in order to highlight the importance of global population health.  Each year the World Health Organisation chooses a theme that is relevant and specific to global health trends.  The theme for the… Read more >>

The CCOHSI Team participated in the World TB Day program organised by the Community Health Worker, Kalera, and Health Committee for Lavuci.  Some of the northern communities of Fiji, including Nasolo, Lavuci and Natelecake, have had an increase in both TB cases and deaths from TB infection in recent months. The Lavuci Health Committee identified that TB awareness was one of the ways to assist the community to take ownership of their health and social issues, as part of their Community Development Project under the CCOHSI Project. The Community Health… Read more >>

The CCOHSI Team recently stayed overnight at Nagatagata Nursing Station during a trip to Fiji’s interior villages where they conducted health promotion activities on wellness and ran Reproductive Health clinics. They also signed off on Community Development Projects (CDPs) that have commenced in four villages in the interior. Nagatagata Nursing Station is located in Fiji's rural interior, approximately 1.5 to 2 hours drive from the closest regional town of Tavua. Its catchment area includes 4 villages (Nagatagata Village, Buyabuya Village, Drala Village and Koro Village) and 4 settlements (Nakeito Settlement,… Read more >>