AUSPS Women’s Wing hosts CHIP for health and wellness

AUSPS Women’s Wing executives from left Komal Karishma, Rosalia Fatiaki and Alanieta Lesuma-Fatiaki (second from right) with Dr Alipate Vakamocea (third from left) and AUSPS Youth representative Rona Finiasi. Picture: SUPPLIED/AUSPS Women’s Wing

By WANSOLWARA STAFF

The Association of The University of the South Pacific Staff (AUSPS) Women’s Wing has joined the fight against rising cases of chronic diseases, hosting a forum on the Complete Health Improvement Programme (CHIP) at USP’s Japan-Pacific ICT Multipurpose Theatre, Laucala campus in Suva today.

The CHIP initiative is part of the AUSPS Women’s Wings activities for the year and aims to promote and advocate for health and wellness among its members.

AUSPS Women’s Wing president Rosalia Fatiaki said the event encouraged members of the wing as well as the USP community to make healthy lifestyle changes.

She said the CHIP initiative had been recognised and endorsed by a number of countries within the region.

Guest presenter at the CHIP event, Dr Alipate Vakamocea, said the current health crisis facing the region was a concern.

“Fiji has the gold medal for being rugby sevens champions but in the same breath, we are working towards having the gold medal for Type 2 diabetes,” said the health director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church of Fiji.

“How did we get to this state? It is actually pretty simple and then not at the same time. Our lifestyles have changed. The way we eat, the way we move, the way we sleep, our stress levels, our relationships and our lifestyles have changed.

“Lifestyle medicine has been quoted as being the key to the prevention of chronic diseases. More recently, it is now seen as a key in the management, reversal and even the cure of many chronic diseases.”

Dr Vakamocea previously served as a medical officer in public hospitals from 2008 to 2015. He graduated from the Fiji School of Medicine in 2007 with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) and obtained postgraduate qualifications in obstetrics and gynecology.

Dr Vakamocea is currently completing a postgraduate diploma in lifestyle medicine – alternative and complementary medical and medical systems.

He is also the treasurer of the Fiji Medical Association.