Page 27 - November 2021 IB FINAL

Specialist Treatment for Pacific Health

REWARDING THE SICK?

you and your loved ones PALAU NEEDS NCD PREVENTION, NOT JUST

OFF-ISLAND REFERRALS

VALUE HEALTH CARE By Bernadette Carreon

Palau’s looming non communicable disease burden needs
Supporting you for Local and Overseas Specialist Treatment to be treated with the same urgency and priority as environ-
mental issues says a local senator, before the NCD bproblem
becomes insurmountable.
When Palauan stores ran out of fresh produce recently it
raised questions in some quarters about food security and
the continued reliance on imports, but also Palauan health
prospects more broadly.
Palau has largely escaped the coronavirus pandemic, with
just eight cases reported in total, and very high vaccination
rates.
However it is struggling under the burden of high NCD
rates, with these diseases remaining the leading cause of
death in Palau, and high levels of youth obesity creating con-
cerns for the future.
Cigarette smoking, betel nut chewing, low vegetable and
fruit consumption, and the prevalence of overweight/obesity
amongst citizens are all NCD risk factors in the island nation.
Victor Yano is a former health minister and now owns a
medical clinic. He predicts NCDs will continue to be a burden health sector have not been “strong” enough to research,
for the “foreseeable future,” referring to the high number translate the research and infiltrate the community as the
of off-shore referrals for cancer, cardiovascular disease and “environmental folks” have done. I think that is the primary
chronic orthopaedic issues. issue moving disease and health to the national agenda and
Dr Yano says US$20 million has been spent over the past national psyche,” says Senator Kuartei, who is a physician by
decade on around 3,000 patients, mainly to refer them to profession and chair of the Senate’s Health Committee.
medical facilities in Taiwan. Palau has a single hospital, and further increases in NCDs
“Palau patients are accorded local rates in other places, could devastate the already vulnerable health care system.
the $35k per patient would easily be exhausted before the Health authorities are already grappling with the possibility
patient is finally discharged. This potential increase in cost that the hospital may need to be moved.
“There is a movement to move Belau National Hospital to
will have to come from increased contributions. [It’s] not a less climate change vulnerable spot,” Dr Yano says. “That
very palatable at this time. Actuarial studies need to be
Value HealtH done,” he told Island Business in an email response. would be very expensive and exhaust a lot of resources, and
will necessitate increased costs to national health and prob-
TERMS & CONDITIONS APPLY Dr Yano believes preventive care services are not well de- ably increased contributions.”
veloped, and is worried that the increased rate of obesity in
He suggests a second community hospital in Koror could
young Palauans will translate to more NCD cases in 20 years’ be a better solution, alleviating traffic to the Belau National
Care Benefits time without attention now. Hospital and transforming that facility into a more functional,

A need for urgency secondary hospital equipped and staffed to reduce off-island
“Actually the funding mechanism rewards a person to get care.
Treatment and admission at a Local He says there are also challenges in meeting health care
sick and be referred out, instead of caring for health before
Private Hospital. FOR AN INSTANT QUOTE or bad things happen. As long as there is no incentive for preven- staffing needs.
CHAT visit: www.bsplife.com.fj tive health, then [the] trend continues,” Dr Yano states. “All types of health workers are needed to staff the facility.
Treatment by world class specialists or email: bula@bsplife.com.fj Palau has not had a health minister for about a year. Palau is not capable yet of this type of training. There are
experienced teachers but not a program. There are young
While the COVID response and vaccination roll out has been
in India or New Zealand or Australia capably led by officials and experts at the Bureau of Public people interested but training and remuneration lack behind
in case of emergencies. TALK TO US TODAY 132700 Health and national emergency committee, Senator Steven- to keep the flow going.”
son Kuartei said there is little sense of urgency in addressing Senator Kuartei believes Palau should be prioritising four
Funeral assistance. FOLLOW US Palau’s NCD burden. strategies; disease treatment, disease prevention, health
“I think the biggest problem [is] that those of us in the Continued on page 29

Islands Business, November 2021 27