Description/achievement of initiative
The PSRH 12th biennial conference was held in Port Vila, Vanuatu in July 2017. More than 300 health professionals from Pacific SIDS participated, with funding support from UNFPA and SPC. The conference, coordinated by PSRH Executive and Secretariat, and hosted by the Government of Vanuatu gathered over 300 health professionals from Pacific SIDS including, representatives from American Samoa, Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Japan, New Zealand, PNG, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, United Kingdom, United States of America and Vanuatu.
Implementation methodologies
The PSRH Conference was preceded by six technical skills workshops, namely: Pacific Emergency Maternal and Newborn Training (PEMNeT) including Early Essential Newborn Care (EENC); Family Planning; Research and Clinical Audit; Repair of Obstetric Tears; Ultrasound in maternity care; and Colposcopy. The workshops were conducted in parallel sessions. The PSRH conference covered a number of areas relevant to SDG 3 and SAMOA Pathway priority on health and NCDs, particularly: best practices in maternal and newborn health; health workforce development in obstetrics and gynecology; midwifery; maternal death surveillance and response; family planning and the unmet needs; prevention of cervical cancer; gender-based violence; adolescent sexual and reproductive health; and leadership in the workplace. In addition to the conference sessions, a side session on “Practice Improvement Marketplace Stalls” was set up which allowed midwives to showcase best practices and innovative methods for improving maternal and newborn health in their own settings.
Arrangements for Capacity-Building and Technology Transfer
Capacity building delivered through technical skills workshops, conference sessions and practice improvement marketplace stalls
Coordination mechanisms/governance structure
The partnership was coordinated by the Pacific Society for Reproductive Health (PSRH), an established professional regional organization for reproductive health practitioners, policy makers and technical experts in RH including family planning, midwifery, obstetrics, and gynaecology. The Pacific Society for Reproductive Health 2017 Conference was facilitated by PSRH under the leadership of Alec Ekeroma, Siobhan Patia, Rufina Latu, and in partnership with UNFPA and SPC.
Partner(s)
Pacific Society for Reproductive Health (PSRH), UNFPA, SPC and Pacific SIDS