Promote equal access, regional health policy makers urged

Apia (Samoa Observer/PINA Nius Online) – Samoa’s Minister of Health, Misa Telefoni, strongly urged health policy makers from six South Pacific Region countries to seriously consider the question of access to health services.

Misa believes that cost is not the issue, everyone must have equal access to health services. The call was made during the opening of the Situation Analysis for Policy (SAP) Workshop held at Aggie Grey’s Hotel.

More than 20 people from Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Samoa and Vanuatu are in Apia to identify main health policy issues, plan and implement a health policy and system reform process based on available information and evidence.

The workshop is an initiative by the World Health Organization, to support health policy-makers from member states of the region in making and articulating health system reforms.

Misa did not discuss the complex world of health policies. Instead, he chose to focus on what was more relevant to the public: the delivery of health services. We must be extremely assertive in making the point that our focus is on access but not cost, Misa said during his keynote address. He stressed that everyone should have equal access to health services, particularly those provided by the public sector.

The average person must have access to health services, same as the leaders of this country. Misa said it was not tolerable to determine access to health services based on qualifications, money or status. Access for a farmer in Falealupo should be as much as the one granted to the Head of State.

Similarly, if access to a particular health service is determined by cost, then Misa said that the state should not provide that service free of charge to anyone. If cost is a determining factor then whatever decision must apply to everyone including the heads of government.

Misa called for improved communication between the public and private sectors regarding the delivery of health services. This is because in some cases, the public sector does not have the facilities or skills offered by the private sector. This, Misa believes, is one area that the government needs to focus on in order to improve collaboration between the two sectors..

There is no use saying we are going to work with the private sector if the government is not going to take the initiative of trying to draw the private sector in, Misa said. The government should be reaching out for the private sector. The government should provide heath services that are affordable to the people.

Misa believes that costs determine who goes to the private or public health sectors. Sometimes, he said, the public sector needs assistance from the private sector because they often have machinery that is not accessible in the public sector. In some cases, there maybe a need for the public sector to pay the private sector to treat a particular patient.

Misa also warned the participants to take heed of criticism from the public about the delivery of services. It’s the only way we can improve, Misa remarked. Only a person who is insecure will be concerned if a customer says to them I am going to get a second opinion.

In conclusion, Misa said that the participants should be prepared to make the necessary adjustments to policies concerning culture, costs and the question of access.

At yesterday’s workshop, Rev Opapo Soanai conducted a brief prayer service and WHO Representative, Dr. Han Tieru, spoke on behalf of the WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, Taefu Dr. Shigeru Omi.