Fiji Corrections Staff Graduate With Certificates On Healthcare In Detention

SEVENTEEN medical personnel of the Fiji Corrections Service have completed an online training on Healthcare in Detention, jointly organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Fijian nurses and medical orderlies participated in the training alongside medical staff working in correction settings from ten countries in the Asia-Pacific region from September 14 to December 18, 2020.

This morning the FCS personnel were presented their certificates by Vincent Ochilet, ICRC Head of Regional Delegation in the Pacific at a special ceremony at the FCS Headquarters in Suva.

“The course encourages participants to take a holistic, public health approach to prison health. It covers a number of the challenges that prison health providers’ face day to day in ensuring the good health and wellbeing of people deprived of their liberty,” says Dr. Pasqualina Coffey, Health Programme Manager with the ICRC in Bangkok and co-facilitator of the course.

The training was initially supposed to be conducted in person in Bangkok, but COVID-19 did not allow for such events to take place. The advantage of not doing it face to face was that it allowed more persons to participate in the online training.

“We appreciate the initiative of the Fiji Corrections Service to enroll all its medical staff in the course,’’ said Vincent Ochilet, ICRC Head of Regional Delegation in the Pacific during the handover of the course certificates to the course participants at the FCS Headquarters this morning.

Commissioner of Corrections Commander Francis Kean said the course was in line with the FCS Intent to build the professional capacity of its staff who in turn will be enabled to fulfil their responsibilities in line with international best practices.

“We thank Mr Ochilet and his professional team at the ICRC for the opportunity to upgrade the skills and knowledge of our nurses and medical orderlies; this all adds value to the work we do at the FCS, the wellbeing of our prisoners, including our Officers, men and women,’’ Commander Kean said.

“The ICRC has been at the forefront ensuring that we keep in line with maintaining international best practices and the status quo as far as human rights are concerned and we are grateful for the training opportunities they have made available to us over the years.”

From this 17 graduates FCS personnel are now currently undergoing a six-week Advanced Medical Orderly Course at the FCS Training Academy in Naboro.

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