NCD nurse graduates to confront Tonga's biggest killer [1]
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Monday, March 3, 2014 - 16:57
Photos courtesy Elizabeth Cocker-Palu
NCD nurses graduation. Queen Salote College Hall, Nuku‘alofa. 28 February, 2014.
Twenty Tongan nurses, who are the first to be trained in Non-Communicable Diseases, graduated last week and will be on the frontline of treating NCDs, which have accounted for 74 percent of all deaths in Tonga in 2008.
Tonga's Queen Nanasipau’u presented 48 diplomas to nursing graduates in two programs during the Queen Salote School of Nursing's Annual Graduation ceremony held on Friday February 28, at the Queen Salote College Hall.
The NCD nurses, including one male nurse, received their Advanced Diplomas in a new program of Nursing Practice for Prevention, Detection and Management of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
Another 28 nurses, including six male nurses, graduated with their Diplomas in Nursing.
Diabetes centres
Tonga’s first qualified NCD focused nurses completed a 30-week course in December last year and will be stationed at health and diabetes centres throughout Tonga.
The Director of Health Dr Siale ‘Akau’ola said the graduation of the NCDs nurses represented an important milestone for Tonga.
He said the nurses would assist in achieving their objective of halting and beginning to reverse the effect of NCDs. It should also reduce hospital admissions and subsequently reduce the expensive health spend that hospital admissions can create, he said.
The Ministry of Health understands that NCDs are widespread with cardiovascular disease and diabetes among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in Tonga. Poor diet, lack of physical exercise, smoking and alcohol consumption are the main factors contributing to the onset of NCDs.
The World Health Organization reported that NCDs accounted for 74 percent of all deaths in Tonga in 2008.
The NCD nurses will help to identify patients at high risk of developing an NCD, provide advice, and help those with an already diagnosed condition to manage their illnesses.
Health Systems Support Program
HE Mr Brett Aldam and Professor Jill White, Dean of Sydney University Nursing School. Queen Salote College Hall, Nuku‘alofa. 28 February, 2014.
The Australian High Commissioner HE Mr Brett Aldam congratulated Tonga on the NCD nursing initiative. By working with the community, the newly graduated nurses will be at the forefront of efforts to tackle the significant health, social and economic impacts of NCDs, he said.
The Advanced Diploma course was financed through a Tonga Health Systems Support Program funded by Australia with $8.3 million (AUD) to improve health outcomes in Tonga, with focus on reducing NCD risk factors.
It is accredited by Tonga's National Qualification and Accreditation Board and was developed by the Ministry of Health assisted by Professor Jill White, the Dean of Sydney Nursing School at the University of Sydney and taught by Dr Viliami Tangi, and Dr Sione Latu.
A pilot program in 2012 in five health centres, provided the basis to expand the NCD nurse program.
Meanwhile, the routine Diploma in Nursing is held over a three-year period.
Health [9]