The importance of family support for individuals living with HIV, particularly concerning their mental health, was highlighted by Patrick Morgam, CEO of Empower Pacific Fiji. He addressed the issue of families that distance themselves from loved ones diagnosed with HIV, noting that some even avoid visiting them in hospitals.
Morgam emphasized that family support is crucial for patients who are already dealing with the psychological challenges associated with their illness. He stated, “The family support is the backbone for them to be sustainable, and if the family is ignoring them, then that adds more stress to the patient.” This lack of support, he explained, could exacerbate feelings of anxiety and instability among patients, leading to further complications.
Empower Pacific Fiji plans to release details about the counseling services available to HIV patients and the number of individuals utilizing these resources.
Dr. Rachel Devi, the Head of Family Health at the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, mentioned that there is an established partnership between the ministry and various civil society organizations. She noted, “We’ve got with NGO partners, we’ve worked significantly,” explaining that training programs have been implemented, enabling these organizations, including Medical Services Pacific (MSP) and some universities, to conduct testing on-site.
Dr. Devi also indicated that tertiary students have been trained to perform point-of-care testing, extending their outreach efforts beyond clinics to various community programs. She remarked on the significance of collaboration, stating, “The collaboration is big, it’s huge, and it’s going to be an all of society approach as we progress further.”