Global Study On Child Poverty And Disparities (PDF) - Social Policy ...

HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS is a recent concern to the Government,
with the first reported case in 2002, and two
deaths in 2006 and 2007 (ADB 2009a). However,
the Ministry of Health is concerned that the
high incidence of other sexually transmitted
diseases may indicate that the true Figures
could be much higher. The MICS survey found
consistent differences in women’s access to
information, knowledge and testing on HIV and
AIDS, depending of their wealth and education
status. As Figure 3.3 shows, there is a positive
relationship with wealth, education and urban
residence for women age 15-49 years who have
comprehensive knowledge of HIV transmission,
who were tested for HIV at an antenatal visit, and
who were provided the results of these tests.
Figure 3.3: Knowledge of and testing for HIV/
AIDS, 2007(Percentage of women age 15-49
years who gave birth in the two years preceding
the survey)
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
6.3
27.8
Comprehensive
Knowledge of HIV
25.9
12.9
Comprehensive
Knowledge of HIV
Wealth Quintile
Poorest Richest
7.3
24.4
Tested at ANC visit
Rural/Urban Location
Urban Rural
22.5
5.2
10.4 12.4
Tested at ANC visit
15.6
Given test results
5.8
Given test results
Analysis
The geographic constraints on services combined
with severely limited human and material
resources, including the lack of trained nurses and
doctors, are key challenges. The Vanuatu Centre
for Nursing Education graduated 21 nurses in
2007, and a further 27 were expected to graduate
in 2010, but this does not fill the gap caused by
nurses leaving and by increasing demand. The
cost of health services is also a barrier to adequate
health care; the 200 vatu fee is unaffordable for
many people (ADB 2009a).
With high annual population growth, increasing life
expectancy and nearly half the population under
20 years old, increasing strains are being placed
on health care services. There is a high demand
for maternal and infant care and treatment of
childhood diseases, plus increased demand for
elderly care as life expectancy increases.
Changes in diet and occupation and ruralurban
migration, among other factors, have
contributed to increasing incidence of diabetes and
sexually transmitted infections. Social problems
including alcoholism and drug dependency and
psychological problems such as depression,
anxiety and suicide have also increased. These
trends may be partly attributed to rural-urban
migration and the associated dislocation and
landlessness, unemployment, domestic violence
and family breakdown. Young people are the most
vulnerable to these factors (ADB 2009a, p. 88).
Tables 3.5 and 3.6 summarize the hospital care
available in Vanuatu.
Table 3.5: Hospitals and hospital beds by region, 2005
Province Hospitals Beds % beds Population Beds per 1,000
Tafea 1 52 11 34,180 1.52
Shefa 1 146 30 63,247 2.31
Malampa 1 70 15 39,127 1.79
Penama 1 37 8 33,536 1.10
Sanma 1 142 30 42,397 3.35
Torba 1 33 7 9,364 3.52
Total 6 480 100 221,851 2.16
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Education Status
No Education Primary Secondary
12.4
9.4
4.5 7
Comprehensive
Knowledge of HIV
26.6 20.5
Tested at ANC visit
*ANC: Antenatal Care. Source: MICS 2007.
0.8
4.6
13.8
Given test results
Source: Vanuatu National Health Accounts Team 2007.
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