Te
Recommendations

l.

Majuro and Ebeye both require intensified immunization programs capable
of delivering full coverage to 100% of the school children and 90% of
the population at

large,

within a one year period of

the programs

initiation.
2.

Utilization must be made of Air Marshall Islands for

fhe delivery of

immunization supplies, and occasionally teams, to the odter islands.
3.

All children enrolled in outer island schools must be able

to present an

up-to-date immunization card showing current full coverfage within one
year of program implementation.
teams

and

local

This can be obtained [through mobile

health assistants

operating from th@

atoll's main

clinic, with cold chain maintenance capacity.
4.

Upgrade the supply and logistics system for immunizatipns, develop a
functioning cold chain system, and establish a detailedistatistics and

record keeping service for surveillance, evaluation,

and reporting.

The

cold

outer

island

clinic

refrigerators

and

central]

storage

facilities at Majuro and Ebeye will be crucial to ongoing programs on
the atolls.

4.

Chronic Diseases
Unlike many developing countries, the Marshal] Islands

significant

health

cardiovascular

problems

diseases,

with

the

latter

chronic

gre developing

diseases.

representing

hypertension and diabetes, are the leading killers.

the

Cancer
e

and

effect

of

While thefclinical care

of these problems will be covered by primary and secondary facilities, the
education and detection is often coordinated by public health
A

federally

funded

(DHEW)

cervical

completed in 1978 with moderate success.

cancer

screening|

personnel.
program was

After initial relubtance, there

seemed to be general acceptance of the program, including malefworkers doing
pap smears.

The program was limited primarily to Majuro anf

Ebeye where

coverage ranged from 12-47% in different years and locatiogs.
cancer

screening

or

education

programs

have

been

underflaken

No other
to

any

significant degree,
Hypertension is increasingly being recognized as a signifficant problem
in Micronesia.
affected.

It appears that from 7-15% of all Micronesians may be

The high mortality statistics for cerebrovasculag

undoubtedly a result of this problem.

Adequate evaluation anq

hypertension

component

has

not

been

a strong

of

the

treatment of

health

curriculum, so the existing primary care workers appear to be

S

disease are
assistant

doing a rather

He

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