Results for Health

Unhealthy people who become sick from eating the wrong foods are placing a huge economic burden on the government’s health systems, while 99% of adult Tongans currently remain at risk from so-called “lifestyle diseases”. Now a new government strategy will place the emphasis on young people, to give them a healthy start to life - but starting with the young means starting before babies are born.

Tonga's Zika surveillance unit has recorded 549 Zika cases up to yesterday, Monday February 8, including seven cases that were confirmed by laboratory blood tests, said Chief Medical Officer for Public Health, Dr Reynold 'Ofanoa this afternoon.

Medical equipment worth nearly $1 million pa’anga, including incubators and mobile xray units to support improved health services at Vaiola Hospital, was handed over by the Japanese Ambassador HE Mr Yukio Numata, on Thursday 4 February.

Naming Tonga the fattest nation in the world, a BBC report on 18 January 2016 says that consumption of imported mutton lamb flaps is to blame. But Tonga’s Director of Health, Dr Siale 'Akau'ola, says that it’s the quantity of food Tongans eat that’s the main problem, not mutton lamb flaps.

A specialist urology team from Australia with local health staff provided free diagnostic and treatment services at Vaiola Hospital from November 17-23.

Vaiola Hospital received specialised equipment and furniture as well as funding support for a heart program from the King and Queen, this afternoon during a special visit by HM Queen Nanasipau‘u to the children's ward.

Beulah College at Vaini, Tongatapu, closed its boarding house and 200 boarders returned home, after a case of typhoid fever was confirmed in Vaini village in late September.

Breast cancer is the number one cancer in Tonga far exceeding any other cancer in women, killing 27 since 2013. Already 18 cases have been diagnosed this year, Dr ‘Ana ‘Akau’ola said today at the launch of the Pink October Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Photos by Linny Folau.

More than 900 students in several schools on Tongatapu now have safe and accessible drinking water thanks to community efforts to restore broken water catchment systems. Lack of clean drinking water can cause ill health and poor attendence among students and remains an ongoing challenge for communities throughout Tonga.