BY CHRIS ALEX
A three-week diabetes management workshop held at Atoifi Adventist Hospital has successfully concluded, equipping 54 nurses from across the Eastern Region of Malaita with vital skills and knowledge to strengthen diabetes care in local clinics and hospitals.
The training, funded by the World Health Organization (WHO), was structured into three separate sessions to allow full participation by nurses from regional health facilities, including Manawai Clinic (East Are’are), East Kwaio, East Kwaara’ae, and Gwarata Clinic (East Fataleka).
The workshop focused on four critical areas of diabetes care:
-Diabetic Screening
-Diabetic Management
-Diabetic Foot Screening
-Diabetic Foot Management
Facilitated by experienced nurses who previously completed national diabetes training in Honiara, the sessions emphasized practical, hands-on clinical coaching.
Their mentorship played a key role in ensuring participants gained both theoretical knowledge and real-world application skills.
Alwin Muse, one of the participating nurses, highlighted the importance of the training.
“Diabetes is one of the leading non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that has become a major health crisis in the Solomon Islands. Most clinics and hospitals in the provinces see patients with this condition on a daily basis,” she said.
The workshop forms part of a broader clinical coaching initiative that aims to standardise diabetes treatment protocols and strengthen diabetic foot care across the Solomon Islands’ health system.
By empowering frontline health workers, the initiative seeks to improve early detection, prevent complications, and enhance patient outcomes.
Organizers say the successful completion of the training marks a significant step forward in building local capacity to combat NCDs and improve healthcare delivery in Malaita’s rural and remote communities.
With diabetes continuing to place a heavy burden on the nation’s health system, programs like this serve as crucial investments in both workforce development and community health resilience.
Photo : Alwin Muse
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