A report co-authored by Fiji National Univesity's Prof Graham Roberts claims that Fiji life expectancy (at birth) dropped from 72.9 years in 2000 to 67.8 years in 2005. Comparable 1986 and 1996 figures were 66.9 and 66.6 years. I found Prof Roberts' reasons for the decline of interest but respectfully suggest a drop of five years in five years is highly suspect, and most likely caused by faulty statistics, although the sharp increase in lifestyle diseases, particularly heart related, could be a factor. The actual figure for 2000 seems more likely to have been somewhere between the 1996 and 2005 figures. Whatever the actual situation, the report highlighted a number of other important concerns in the Fiji health service. Today is the 5th anniversary of the 2006 Coup whose effects are not fully traced by the report.
The article below is from PINA, the Pacific Islands News Association. The article and video interview that follows is from ABC's Pacific Beat. Readers will note the emphasis, first captured in its headline, to possible political, coup-related, causes, a theme pursued in the interview.
Fiji's Life Expectancy Decreases
Life expectancy rate in Fiji has declined from 72.9 years to 67.8 years from the year 2000 to 2005,
reveals a Fiji Islands Health System Review by the
Asia Pacific Observatory on Health Systems and Polices. The detailed review written by experts from Fiji Nati
onal University (FNU), World
Health Organisati
on (WHO) and the Ministry of
Health also found out that 39 per cent of Fiji’s populati
on are below the age of 20. The review also highlighted 61 per cent of the countries populati
on live in the urban areas.
According to Dr Graham Roberts
one of the writers of the review the out-of-the-pocket medical expenditure for people in Fiji increased from 11.9 per cent to 15.5 per cent between the years 2005 to 2008 and 22 per cent in 2010. The review also highlighted that the cost of transportati
on is a major barrier affecting access to
health facilities for people living in the remote areas of Fiji.
Fiji Islands
Health System Review has also found out that Fiji’s
health sector has pressuring human resource issues. The comprehensive review of Fiji’s
health profile by
Asia Pacific Observatory on Health Systems and Polices also highlighted that there is lack of doctors in rural areas and emigrati
on of
health workers overseas.
Presenting the overview of the findings at the Holiday Inn in Suva today Dr Graham Roberts of the Fiji Nati
onal University (FNU) who is
one of the writers of the review said (the) majority of Fiji’s
health professi
onals are now c
oncentrated in the urban hospitals. “The scarcity of qualified
health professi
onals has caused Fiji delays in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s).” Dr Roberts said. He said 79 per cent of doctors in Fiji migrated to New Zealand, Australia, United States of America (USA) and other
Pacific Island countries by the year 1999. The review also found out that nurses play a pivotal role in Fiji as they make up two thirds of the workforce.
Meanwhile, Fiji’s Public Service Commissi
on has announced permanent secretary for the Ministry of
Health, Dr Salanieta Saketa was no l
onger in the post following Government’s decisi
on to bring to an end her appointment in line with provisi
ons of her c
ontract.
PSC chairman Josefa Serulagilagi c
onfirmed that the positi
on will so
on be advertised and short listed before interviews and selecti
ons are held. The chairman today acknowledged the substantial work c
ontributed by Dr Saketa at the
Health Ministry.
Serulagilagi said the recently announced 2012 Budget required new directi
on and management style within the ministry and added the ministry needed a new pers
on in the positi
on of permanent secretary because a lot of more reforms and a change in focus was needed. The Hospital Services deputy secretary, Dr El
oni Tora will be the acting permanent secretary for
Health effective from M
onday, 05 December. Public
Health deputy secretary, Dr Joe Koroivueta will act in the role until then.
Fiji life expectancy cut short by political turmoil: academic
A new report has
revealed a dramatic decrease in life expectancy in Fiji, with the figure falling by nearly five years within a five year period.The life expectancy rate dropped from 72.9 years to 67.8 years from the year 2000 to 2005.
The figure comes from a Fiji Islands Health System Review by the Asia Pacific Observatory on Health Systems and Polices. One of the report's authors, Professor Graham Roberts, believes the difficult times experienced by Fiji since 1987 - particularly its political turmoil - are largely responsible.
But he's told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat that no single factor can be blamed for the dramatic fall.
"It's the fact there's been multiple transitions going on," Professor Roberts said.
"We've got urbanisation, we've got changes in dietary patterns, we've got political instability. We've got large proportion of the population moving into poverty, we've got a significant proportion of the population living in squatter settlements with inadequate water and sanitation.
"And these are symptoms, once again, [of] the hard times."