Fiji’s first Community Health Level 3 cohort graduates

Fifty-two graduates have marked a major milestone in their professional journeys after completing Fiji’s first Certificate in Community Health (Addressing HIV and AIDS in Fiji) Level 3 programme.

The graduates received their qualifications at the inaugural Australian Pacific Management and Training (APMT) graduation ceremony at Novotel Suva Lami Bay today, celebrating the completion of 18 weeks of specialised training designed to strengthen community health services across Fiji.

Speaking during the ceremony, Harm Reduction, Sexual and Reproductive Health and HIV Unit Fiji team leader, Dr Sailosi Soqo, said the graduates were now stepping into an important role of serving their communities.

“You are not simply getting a certificate. This Level Three programme has prepared you for leadership, to be a champion,” Dr Soqo said.

The programme equipped the graduates with practical knowledge in community education, health promotion, prevention, stigma reduction, harm reduction and support services.

Dr Soqo said the qualification was the first of its kind in Fiji and the Pacific and represented a significant contribution towards building community health leadership.

He said the graduates had been trained to plan and deliver community education, coordinate community care and support community health workers.

“You are not arriving at the edge of the response. You are stepping into the middle of it,” he said.

The graduates came from communities across Fiji, with the training aimed at ensuring the skills gained could be taken back into workplaces and communities where they were most needed.

Dr Soqo also acknowledged the families who supported the graduates throughout their training, saying their encouragement and sacrifices were part of the achievement celebrated at the ceremony.

Higher Education Commission representative Eci Naisele said the programme demonstrated the importance of identifying education and training areas that respond directly to the needs of the country.

He said the commission and Government continued to focus on demand-driven areas where additional skills could benefit communities.

The graduation also marked an important achievement for APMT as it hosted its inaugural ceremony and celebrated its first cohort completing the specialised programme.

Dr Soqo urged the graduates to continue developing their knowledge and reminded them that their certificates marked the beginning of their professional journey.

“This certificate is just the beginning. And this is not your final destination,” he said.

As they left the ceremony, the 52 graduates carried not only their qualifications but also the responsibility of using their newly acquired skills to contribute to the wellbeing of communities throughout Fiji.