Government of the Federated States of Micronesia

Top Health Officials to Attend PIHOA Conference in Guam

PALIKIR, Pohnpei (FSM Information Service): September 18,
1997 – Secretary of the Department of (Health) Services Eliuel K.
Pretrick and Administrator for the Division of Preventive Health
Services Sizue Yoma departed Pohnpei last weekend for Guam to attend
the Pacific Islands Health Officers Association (PIHOA) being held at
the Guam Palace Hotel from September 17th to 19th, 1997.

The Acting Administrator for the Division of Medical Care Services
Ben Jesse left Pohnpei on September 16, 1997, for the same meeting.

The objectives of the conference include development of the
capacity to work cooperatively within and across regional units;
establishment of a region-wide priorities, policies, and procedures
for surveillance and response; and to share information on the best
practice options for surveillance and response among participants.

Small groups in the conference are responsible for identifying
areas for cooperative surveillance and response; define region-wide
activities; and develop a blue print for standard operating plans for
country and local level response.

The expected outcome of the conference are to institute long-live
cooperative activities to strengthen and enhance disease surveillance
and response capacity throughout the region; to develop cooperative
regional policies, implementation strategies, and performance
monitoring methods for surveillance and response; and to form teams
to implement policies and plans for infrastructure building and
improved surveillance and response.

The Honorable Masao Ueda, Minister of Health, Republic of Palau
and PIHOA President and Dr. Steven Guild, Conference Facilitator are
giving the opening and welcoming addresses in the conference and Dr.
Pretrick, FSM Secretary of Health Services will be one of the Keynote
Speakers who will speak on the topic, Healthy Community, Health
Islands. Mr. Jesse, FSM Health Services’ Program Coordinator, will
talk about the Elimination of Hansen’s Disease: “The FSM Experience.”

The conference participants include representatives from the FSM,
Palau, Marshalls, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam,
American Samoa, State of Hawaii, the University of Hawaii, US
Communicable Disease Control (CDC) and other Health officials.