Solomon Islands welcomes discussions on health improvement at PALM10

By Sharon Nanau in Tokyo, Japan

Solomon Islands welcomes Japan’s discussions to improve health services in the Pacific region however they must be country specific.

Minister of Health and Medical Services Dr. Paul Bosawai said this during a discussion at the Pacific Islands Leaders and Governors meeting (PALM10) in Tokyo, Japan.

Leaders and governors discussed that health, sports and environment are the three main areas of cooperation between Japan and Pacific Island countries. 

It was raised that Japan can help Pacific countries in developing a telehealth system to help address the limited health service they provide.  

This will allow the distribution of health-related services and information via electronic information and telecommunication technologies. 

It provides long-distance patient and clinician contact, monitoring, remote admissions and other medical services without the physical presence of a medical practitioner.

Dr Bosawai said despite challenges faced in the area of slow technology advancement in the country, health service delivery must keep up with changes in technology.  

“This issue of advancement in terms of technology and medicine is an issue that affects us but it’s time for us to turn it into a new chapter, so when we try to adopt the new system, we need to train our people to meet the technology need of our country in terms of health care services that we want.” 

Dr Bosawai explained if projects such as telehealth is rolled out, local resources need to be trained and equipped to ensure the public accesses the medical services they need.  

“There are a number of students or health care professionals who are working part time in Japan to do studies in bio-technology, so if we have the projects discussed rolled out in the Solomons, we will ask them to train our people to allow us to use those facilities.” 

Dr Bosawai also welcomes the establishment of relations with Japan’s prefectures if it encompasses the purpose of providing healthcare services to Solomon Islanders. 

“The relations if established on the health care front it needs to also reach new standards of health care, currently I see the new standard set in technology. This of course needs proper planning and time from our side to deal with the changes in the health sector.” 

Dr Bosawai said currently Solomon Islands is playing a catch-up game in terms of health service technology. 

Ends//