Pacific island health meeting opens on Tinian • Teno prods leaders to reach out to community members

Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio yesterday urged Pacific island health ministers and lawmakers to work together in focusing investments in areas such as education, healthy working conditions, environmental sanitation and safe water supply.

While government leaders are responsible in providing adequate budget for health care, Mr. Tenorio said health officials must in turn make sure that health programs reach each member of the community,

Speaking before members of the Pacific Island Health Officers Association, the governor said he believes that prevention must continue to be the main agenda in health care programs.

“We know that investment in the long-term public health prevention programs will go beyond the short-term budgetary gains in diverting money elsewhere,” he said.

More than 30 delegates from various Pacific island nations attended the 30th PIHOA bi-annual meeting of the board of directors held at Tinian Dynasty Hotel. Health officials and representatives of federal agencies gathered to discuss the issue of environmental health, this year’s conference theme.

Mr. Tenorio said he is very happy to see the collaboration of PIHOA and U.S. federal agencies, non-governmental organizations and international agencies in addressing health issues confronting the region.

During the conference, Public Health Secretary Joseph Villagomez said the greatest challenge in health development is the widening gap between the “haves” and the “have nots” in the region.

Such inequity breeds communicable diseases like tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and other non-communicable diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer in the Pacific region.

Saying the children, elderly and the poor are the most vulnerable, Mr. Villagomez stressed the importance of pushing prevention programs to address these health problems.

“Public health programs are not just sound health approaches – they are also sound economic and political programs. We need to anchor health in a broader setting. We are no longer immune or sheltered from medical problems that are common in each of our jurisdictions or from problems once known to occur only in the other areas of the world,” he said.

He added that the united effort of health professionals in the region will allow them to develop stronger health sectors that will be able to respond effectively to people’s needs.

In addressing the issue of environmental health, Tinian Mayor Francisco Borja expressed concern on the possible polychlorinated biphenyl contamination on his island-municipality.

Mayor Borja said he believes that Tinian faces greater risk of PCB contamination since it used to be home to the largest airfield in the world during the war.

The exchange of information will allow local health officials to find solutions to various concerns raised during the conference. Mr. Borja emphasized the importance of protecting the environment to ensure the safety of the people. (LFR)