The opening of the Reproductive and Family Health Association of Fiji’s (RFHAF) branch in Namaka, Nadi will address the rising number of HIV cases in Nadi.
Services offered at the new branch are NCD screenings, family planning counselling, breast examination, Pap smear screenings, sexual transmitted infection management, infertility counselling, HIV counselling and referral, gender-based violence counselling and referral awareness and education clinics as well as antenatal care clinic.
The initiative was a collaborative partnership between the RFHAF and International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF)
RFHAF board president Avendra Prakash said the services offered were targeted at assisting youths, which was the demographic with the highest number of HIV cases.
“We had a board meeting with staff planning, as well as youth planning, last year in December, and then we decided that we need to open up in the West to be the first one to take this initiative,” he said.
The facility, Mr Prakash said, would offer similar services offered at the RFHAF’s Suva branch with a clinic and a laboratory setting for testing purposes.
“So, it will be a same day result sort of process, but we expect our lab to be up and running by the end of March because we are still trying to get our equipment.”
He said a number of interventions had been devised where younger medical staff members would be engaged for community outreach work targeting issues faced by youths.
“We also provide services for underprivileged and marginalised populations, so we will not only be based in the office, but we will also go out to the people who need our services, even if it’s hard to reach areas, we’ll find a way to reach them.”
RFHAF executive director and finance manager, Iftar Ali said two staff members would be based at the new branch.
“We also have volunteer nurses and volunteers to actually help us to reach out, so two staff and maybe 15 to 20 volunteers,” he said.
“These volunteers are young people and also retired nurses and some young nurses as well.”
