Upon my return from the tumultuous Suva experience I was informed that I was off to paradise. A team was being sent to top end resorts to provide HIV information and test their staff. As you might imagine, resorts are importing testing places with their influx of oversees tourists. Without so much as a blink, I was pushing my schedule forward by a week. A going away party for a friend happened on a Tuesday instead of Friday- who holds a going away party on Tuesday? My hosting skills are clearly deteriorating, not to mention we had to change the venue. Nothing else really changed, because after all, 'Fiji time' takes occasions like this into account- in other words, very little is set in stone.
The boat departed on Wednesday morning, 10 December- three days before my dad was scheduled to arrive, and with 'Fiji time' I wasn't sure whether I would be back in time to pick him up... but I went anyway. Four hours on a catamaran and we were off to the last island in the Yasawa group- Yasawa i-ra ra. I looked out into the crystal clear water at the boats coming to retrieve passengers to take them to their respective destinations. Amidst the modern/steel looking boats I saw a single boat painted blue, a village boat, and I knew that our ride had arrived. We were off.
the boat... stuck.
We stayed at the medical center on Nacula island. A single doctor provides all medical services for 6,000 people on a bunch of different islands. hmm, again, hmmm. I guess I can better understand why a chopper was needed for an asthmatic patient that day (if you've been following my blog, you would know this reference...).
Upon arrival we immediately starting working. At Orasmans Bay resort, we sat around the Tanoa bowl (where kava is served) and gave an informational session followed by a Q&A. The Q&A sessions seem to be the most informative and helpful for everyone. When the sessions were finished, the testing started. There were three counsellors, two women and one man. Fiji has taken the VCT (voluntary counseling and testing) approach to HIV testing- therefore every person tested must undergo pre and post test counselling. This process was repeated at- Yasawa Lodge, Nanuya resort and Turtle Resort (where McCain decided to spent his Christmas this year). There were around 20 people tested at each resort, and more who attended the informational sessions.
Overall the program was quite successful. The only problem is that everyone is required to travel into Lautoka to pick up their results. I suppose it sounds worse than it really is. Almost everyone, these days, comes in to do their shopping once a month or so. That said, I am still trying to convince the doctor and counselors to return and personally deliver the results.
Oh, and I did make it back in time to pick up my dad from the airport at 5am on Saturday morning.
We stayed at the medical center on Nacula island. A single doctor provides all medical services for 6,000 people on a bunch of different islands. hmm, again, hmmm. I guess I can better understand why a chopper was needed for an asthmatic patient that day (if you've been following my blog, you would know this reference...).
Upon arrival we immediately starting working. At Orasmans Bay resort, we sat around the Tanoa bowl (where kava is served) and gave an informational session followed by a Q&A. The Q&A sessions seem to be the most informative and helpful for everyone. When the sessions were finished, the testing started. There were three counsellors, two women and one man. Fiji has taken the VCT (voluntary counseling and testing) approach to HIV testing- therefore every person tested must undergo pre and post test counselling. This process was repeated at- Yasawa Lodge, Nanuya resort and Turtle Resort (where McCain decided to spent his Christmas this year). There were around 20 people tested at each resort, and more who attended the informational sessions.
Overall the program was quite successful. The only problem is that everyone is required to travel into Lautoka to pick up their results. I suppose it sounds worse than it really is. Almost everyone, these days, comes in to do their shopping once a month or so. That said, I am still trying to convince the doctor and counselors to return and personally deliver the results.
Oh, and I did make it back in time to pick up my dad from the airport at 5am on Saturday morning.
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