Update: 5:47PM PACIFIC Open Learning Health Net (POLHN) would like to work even closer with governments, to get more accreditation of courses and more and more programs added online.
In 2003, World Health Organization
(WHO), Government of Japan and Pacific ministries of health established an
e-learning platform, POLHN to develop and deliver online learning and
continuing professional development opportunities for geographically dispersed
and remote health workers in the Pacific.
Earlier this week WHO Regional
Director of the Western Pacific Region, Dr Shin Young-soo, visited POLHN
learning centres across the country in particular Suva and Levuka.
He began his POLHN visit at the
Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva, with high level officials and explored
the brand new POLHN learning centre.
He spoke about how far the program
had come, from when it had very low enrolment at the start of his term in 2009.
Since then, there has been heavy
investment from WHO and health ministries across the South Pacific, which has
made a considerable difference.
The new learning centre at CWM is
fitted with brand new computers and hosts numerous workshops.
The number of nurses and doctors
enrolling in POLHN is also steadily increasing.
Dr Shin told workers at the hospital
that this was an achievement that they should be incredibly proud of.
He also visited Levuka hospital along
with the Minister for Health Rosy Akbar.
There he saw public health in
action at a more rural location. He also visited the hospital’s POLHN learning
centre.
Dr Shin was impressed with what he
saw in Suva and Levuka and he wants to see an expansion of POLHN.
Today, POLHN has more than 30,000
enrolled users and 45 learning centres across the South Pacific.
