Symposium: Infant care in a group of outer Fiji Islands

Food and nutrition issues get little policy attention from decision-makers. The lack of action is not due to a lack of knowledge by the latter. Other gaps are at the root—gaps that denote a deliberate choice of not attending to food and nutrition matters. It is ultimately power relations that affect policy choices. It is here contended that policy processes can only be fully understood if analyzed politically. Consciousness raising and social mobilization are indispensable to influence policy processes. Research organizations have hardly engaged in this consciousness-raising; most of them are rather conservative. They think that if decision-makers have more and better knowledge they will indeed take urgently needed decisions; but they never go against their own interests. What is missing, and is argued in favor of here, is the need for structural changes that address the basic causes of preventable hunger and malnutrition by organizing pressure from below—thus the importance of empowering beneficiaries.     

Sector wide approaches for health in small island states: Lessons learned from the Solomon Islands

Abstract

Sector Wide Approaches (SWAps) have increasingly been implemented in countries around the world as a mechanism for effective delivery of health sector funding from various sources. Despite the global focus on aid effectiveness, SWAps have been under-examined. In 2007, the Solomon Islands and development partners began discussing a health SWAp making the Solomon Islands one of the first fragile states globally to adopt a SWAp. This paper explores the establishment and implementation of a health SWAp in the Solomon Islands as a specific case study with lessons learned for the region as well as for aid architecture in fragile states more generally. Tensions between donors and the government impeded agreement and early implementation and country ownership of the SWAp idea was muted. Since mid-2009, however, the Solomon Islands SWAp has made strong progress with greater government ownership and with more focus on partnership and harmonisation rather than on funding mechanisms. The SWAp mechanism has been a challenge for the capacity-constrained Solomon Islands health sector and for development partners familiar with other aid modalities, but current momentum suggests that the SWAp will have a positive impact on adherence to agreed aid effectiveness principles.     

Anthropological studies of human skeletal remains from Cook Islands, Polynesia —Prehistoric skulls from Pukapuka atoll—

Anthropological surveys of the Pukapuka Atoll, the Northern Cook Islands, discovered several intements dated around 1500 B.P, from which twenty-five interred human remains were retrieved. This study describes several features revealed from analyses on the skulls of 6 males.

西沙群岛恙螨所携恙虫病东方体的序列分析

目的　用分子生物学技术鉴定西沙群岛恙虫病东方体的基因序列 ,探讨南海岛屿恙虫病疫源地的形成。方法　以巢式聚合酶链反应 (NPCR)检测西沙群岛恙螨所携恙虫病东方体的 5 6kDa蛋白基因片段 ,继而将NPCR产物克隆进pGEM-T载体并且测序 ,测序结果在国际互联网作多序列比较和进化树分析。结果　从西沙群岛收集的恙螨扩增出 5 0 7bp目的片段 ,序列分析证实与Karp株同源性 85 % ,与Gilliam株同源性 6 8% ,与Yonchon株同源性 6 7% ,与Kato株同源性 6 5 %。结论　西沙群岛的恙螨携带恙虫病东方体以Karp型为主。     

Low Seroprevalence among Undetected COVID-19 Cases,Faroe Islands,November 2020

We conducted a second nationwide severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 seroprevalence study in the Faroe Islands during November 2020. We found crude seroprevalence was 0.3% and prevalence was 0.4% after adjusting for test sensitivity and specificity. This low seroprevalence supports the prevention strategies used in the Faroe Islands.     

The role of bluespaces in experiencing place,aging and wellbeing: Insights from Waiheke Island,New Zealand

This paper examines how bluespaces inform experiences of place, being aged, and wellbeing among seniors on Waiheke, an island within the greater Auckland area in northern New Zealand. We draw on photo-elicitation interviews with seniors aged 65–94 to argue that bluespaces shape metaphors of ‘islandness’ that, in turn, help maintain wellbeing. We conclude that, although island settings pose unique challenges for seniors, (e.g. potential isolation, and a lack of advanced care), drawing on the qualities of bluespaces helps maintain a secure sense of self anchored in strong affective ties to place.     

Seroprevalence of chronic hepatitis B virus infection and immunity to measles,rubella, tetanus and diphtheria among schoolchildren aged 6–7 years old in the Solomon Islands, 2016

The Western Pacific Region (WPR) established a goal to decrease chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection among children to <1% and to achieve ≥95% hepatitis B vaccine birth dose (HepB-BD) and ≥95% three-dose (HepB3) coverage by 2017. In 2016, we conducted a national serosurvey in the Solomon Islands among 6–7-year-old school children to assess progress towards the control goal and immunity to measles, rubella, tetanus and diphtheria. Eighty schools were selected systematically proportional to their 6–7-year-old population; all 6–7-year-olds were enrolled. We collected basic demographic information and vaccination history. Children were tested for HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) using a rapid test, and for immunity to measles, rubella, tetanus, and diphtheria using a multiplex bead assay. In total, 1,249 out of 1,492 children (84%) were enrolled, among whom 1,169 (94%) underwent HBsAg testing and 1,156 (93%) provided dried blood spots. Almost 80% (n = 982) of enrolled children had vaccination cards, among whom 59% (n = 584) received a timely HepB-BD (within 24 hours of birth), 95% (n = 932) received HepB3, and >90% received vaccines for diphtheria, tetanus, and measles (rubella vaccine was not available at the time). HBsAg prevalence was 3.1% (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.0%–4.9%), with 55% of identified cases from one province. Among 982 children with vaccination cards, HBsAg prevalence was higher among children who had not received a timely HepB-BD and at least two HepB doses compared to those who had (4% vs. 2%). Of 1,156 tested children, immunoprotection estimates were 99% (95% CI: 98%–99%) for measles, 99% (95% CI: 97%–100%) for rubella, 85% (95% CI: 83%–87%) for tetanus, and 51% (95% CI: 47%–55%) for diphtheria. Improving timely HepB-BD coverage and maintaining high HepB3 coverage could help Solomon Islands reach the regional HBV control goal. Low immunity to tetanus and diphtheria suggests the need to introduce booster doses to ensure long-term protection.     

西沙驻岛人员性行为的表达及性心理、性知识的调查研究

目的　研究驻岛人员在特殊环境下的性行为、性态度与生殖健康知识。方法　以问卷的形式对72 8名西沙驻岛人员进行调查 ,72 8名驻岛人员都为男性 ,年龄平均为 2 2 60± 4 0 2岁 ,3 2 2名为初中文化 ,3 0 3名为高中文化 ,1 0 3名为大专以上学历 ;未婚 5 1 8人 ,已婚 2 1 0人。结果　近 3个月有 93 8%的驻岛人员在受到较强的刺激下能出现性唤起 ,76 5 0 %做过性梦 ,42 0 0 %有自慰行为 ,80 0 0 %有过梦遗 ,驻岛人员做性梦后觉得是愉快经历的占 49 70 % ,无所谓的占 3 9 2 0 % ,94 90 %的人想结交异性朋友 ,62 0 0 %喜欢谈论性问题 ,70 3 0 %回答与其谈论的对象为同性朋友 ,1 0 2人与异性有过性交 ,而 68人是未婚者 ,5 4人从不使用或偶尔使用安全套 ,与同性相互手淫 74人。 79 90 %的人对于性乱交有正确的认识 ,5 4 5 0 %的人知道输血是艾滋病的传播途径 ,分别有 48 1 0 %、 5 5 60 %的人了解共用针头、母婴传播为传染艾滋病的途径 ,45 90 %的人认为根本没有接受过正规的性教育。结论　远离祖国大陆的驻岛人员有着与他们生活环境相应的性行为、性心理特征 ,应该加强对他们的性教育     

Involuntary commitment in Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Denmark.

Greenland, the Faroe Islands and Denmark have common legislation and registration for involuntary commitment. Commitment rates were calculated based on information from the Danish psychiatric register for 1984-1988. Direct standardization with the Danish male and female population as a standard population (1984-1988) was carried out to evaluate differences in rates. An increased risk of commitment was found in Greenland, where the crude commitment rate was 43.5 commitments per 100,000 inhabitants. The commitment rate on the Faroe Islands was 19.2 per 100,000 and 24.2 per 100,000 in Denmark. The relative risk of commitment in Greenland vs Denmark was 2.0 (1.6-2.4) and increased to the same extent for both sexes. Young men constituted a high-risk group for commitment in Greenland. Males between 15 and 34 years accounted for 55% of the total number of commitments in Greenland. The high relative commitment risk in Greenland is related to higher homicide rates, lower psychiatric bed availability, reduced access to psychiatric treatment, small settlements and increased alcohol consumption and violence than in Denmark.