Republic of Palau Ministry of Health, Koror, Palau

Project Description

The Republic of Palau Ministry of Health, Koror, Palau, project will focus on the Palau Healthy Community Initiative. This is a holistic, system-based approach to expand delivery of environmental health services in communities by establishing national guidelines toward improving the different wastewater systems of Palau and implementing education/marketing strategies targeting the whole Republic on the Division of Environmental Health (DEH) Guide to Attaining Healthful Environment.

The project goals are to

Reduce transmission of vectorborne diseases and
Build capacity for and promote practices of proper waste management to reduce vectors and vectorborne diseases

Accomplishments

DEH’s Guide to Attaining Healthful Environment (toolkit)
Healthy community projects (e.g., Kayangel compost toilet)
Vector surveillance and monitoring (mosquito surveillance)
Solid and liquid waste management (state and community levels)

Barriers

There were no major barriers to program implementation. However, the project focus was narrowed to maximize project impact in the state with the greatest burden of disease. Narrowing the focus also allowed maximum synergy and capacity building with Koror, the state best positioned to gain from capacity-building activities.

With an external evaluator on board, we have had a distinct advantage at all stages on this program and on determining what data will best document project outcomes. The benefits of these midcourse corrections are already evident and we believe they will result in a stronger, more efficacious project through out the 3-year period.

What Is Next

Republic-wide educational campaign for local capacity building (state and community)

Reduce vectorborne diseases
Surveillance and monitoring activities focus on observed trends
Solid and liquid waste management

Healthy community projects
Sustainability and human resource development

School program
State partnerships and trainings
Data banks

Links and Products

Division of Environmental Health
Bureau of Public Health
Ministry of Health
P.O. Box 6027
Koror, Republic of Palau 96940
Phone: (680) 488-6073/6345
Fax: (680) 488-6194
Email: lead@palaunet.com or deh@palau-health.net

Note: The DEH Guide to Attaining Healthful Environment (toolkit) is available for all households in the Republic of Palau. It is not available for wider distribution because of limited and focused funding.

Top of Page