Health in the Federated States of Micronesia

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The Human Rights Measurement Initiative finds that the Federated States of Micronesia are fulfilling 94.9% of what it should be fulfilling for the right to health based on its level of income. [1] When looking at the right to health with respect to children, the Federated States of Micronesia achieve 97.1% of what is expected based on their current income. [1] In regards to the right to health amongst the adult population, the country achieves only 91.9% of what is expected based on the nation's level of income. [1] The Federated States of Micronesia fall into the "good" category when evaluating the right to reproductive health because the nation is fulfilling only 95.8% of what the nation is expected to achieve based on the resources (income) it has available. [1]

Contents

Life expectancy at birth in the Federated States of Micronesia was 66 for men and 69 for women in 2018. [2] [3]

Pingelap in Pohnpei State is notable for the prevalence of an extreme form of color blindness called achromatopsia, and known locally as maskun. [4] [5] Approximately 5% of the atoll's 3000 inhabitants are afflicted. [4] [5]

Healthcare

The healthcare system developed under the US naval administration after World War II when the US Navy sponsored students to train as medical and nurse assistants in Guam. There was a program of dispensary building in the 1960s, followed by the construction of hospitals, both financed and staffed by the US government. Under the Pacific Island Health Care Program patients were sent to Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii for treatment not available in Micronesia. After independence the government had difficulty in meeting these costs, and cut back on local facilities in order to pay for referrals, which still had financial and technical support from the United States. [6]

Total expenditure on health in the country was $473 per head in 2014. This was about 13.7% of GDP. [7]

Hospitals in the Federated States of Micronesia. [8]

These hospitals have a total of 362 beds. Tertiary health services are generally referred outside the country.

In the territory there are also 5 health centers and 92 dispensaries. [9]

State of Emergency Declared

A report of 5 April 2022 announced that some 40 doctors and nurses at Yap State Hospital complained to the state governor, Jesse Salalu, of severe understaffing, ineffective recruitment of staf, lack of contracts, and the Yap State Legislature’s refusal to release JEMCO-approved Office of Insular Affairs grant funds for wage increases. [10]

The governor refused to meet with a delegation of health professionals on 29 March 2022, and a large number of staff submitted resignations. The governor declared a state of emergency, saying “There is no sufficient pool of qualified nurses and doctors available on island for immediate recruitment to help prevent or minimize disruptions to the operation and services of the hospital”. The emergency status allows the Department of Health Services (DHS) in collaboration with Waab Community Health Center to relocate human resources to the main hospital.

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The Federated States of Micronesia, or simply Micronesia, is an island country in Micronesia, a subregion of Oceania. It consists of four states—from west to east, Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae—that are spread across the western Pacific. Together, the states comprise around 607 islands that cover a longitudinal distance of almost 2,700 km (1,700 mi) just north of the equator. They lie northeast of Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, south of Guam and the Marianas, west of Nauru and the Marshall Islands, east of Palau and the Philippines, about 2,900 km (1,800 mi) north of eastern Australia, 3,400 km (2,100 mi) southeast of Japan, and some 4,000 km (2,485 mi) southwest of the main islands of the Hawaiian Islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of the Federated States of Micronesia</span>

Geography of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), a country located in the western Pacific Ocean, and in the Micronesia cultural and ecological sub-region of Oceania. While its total land area is very small at 702 km2 (271 sq mi), it has the 14th largest exclusive economic zone at 2,996,419 km2 (1,156,924 sq mi).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demographics of the Federated States of Micronesia</span>

Demographic features of the population of the Federated States of Micronesia include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects. The indigenous population of the Federated States of Micronesia, which is predominantly Micronesian, consists of various ethnolinguistic groups. English has become the common language. Population growth remains high at more than 3%, but is ameliorated somewhat by net emigration.

This article is about communications systems in the Federated States of Micronesia.

Railways: 0 km

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands</span> US-administered UN trust territory (1947–1994)

The Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (TTPI) was a United Nations trust territory in Micronesia administered by the United States from 1947 to 1994. The Imperial Japanese South Seas Mandate had been seized by the US during the Pacific War, previously the Japanese had been given by the League of Nations mandate over the area after WW1. However, in the 1930s Japan left the League of Nations and then invaded additional lands. During WW2 military control of the islands was disputed, and in the end the islands were won by the Allies, and then the Trust Territory of the Pacific was created to administer the islands under the auspices of the U.N. and the allies victory after VE day. Over time many of the islands either became more independent or closer to the United States. The Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands and Palau are today independent states in a Compact of Free Association with the US. The Northern Mariana Islands remain under US jurisdiction, as an unincorporated territory and commonwealth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of the Federated States of Micronesia</span> National flag

The flag of the Federated States of Micronesia was adopted on 30 November 1978. The blue field represents the Pacific Ocean. In an echo of U.S. heraldic practice, the stars represent the four federated states: Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae and Yap, arranged like the points of the compass.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lists of hospitals in Oceania</span>

This is a list of hospitals in Oceania for each sovereign state, associated states of New Zealand, and dependencies, and territories. Links to lists of hospitals in countries are used when there are more than a few hospitals in the country. Oceania has an area of 8,525,989 km2 and population of 41,570,842 (2018). The World Health Organization surveys of healthcare in smaller countries are used to identify hospitals in smaller countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pohnpei State</span> State in Federated States of Micronesia

Pohnpei State is one of the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). The other states are, from east to west, Kosrae State, Chuuk State, and Yap State. The state's main island is Pohnpei.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chuuk State</span> State in Federated States of Micronesia

Chuuk State is one of the four states of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). The other states are Kosrae State, Pohnpei State, and Yap State. It consists of several island groups: Namoneas, Faichuuk, the Hall Islands, Namonuito Atoll, Pattiw, and the Mortlock Islands. Chuuk is by far the FSM's most populous state, with 50,000 inhabitants on 120 square kilometers. Chuuk Lagoon is where most people live. Weno island, in the lagoon, is Chuuk's state capital and the country's biggest city. It may hold a referendum on independence in the near future, although this referendum has been repeatedly postponed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yap State</span> Constituent state of the Federation of Micronesia

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pingelap</span> Atoll in Pohnpei, Micronesia

Pingelap is an atoll in the Pacific Ocean, part of Pohnpei State of the Federated States of Micronesia, consisting of three islands: Pingelap Island, Sukoru and Daekae, linked by a reef system and surrounding a central lagoon, although only Pingelap Island is inhabited. The entire system has a land area of 1.8 km² at high-tide, and is less than 2.5 miles (4.0 km) at its widest point. The atoll has its own language, Pingelapese, spoken by most of the atoll's 250 residents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FSM National Police</span>

The Federated States of Micronesia's National Police is the small national police force of the Federated States of Micronesia and is a division of the FSM Department of Justice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Religion in the Federated States of Micronesia</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carolines tropical moist forests</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Micronesian Futsal Cup</span> International football competition

The 2023 Micronesian Futsal Cup, commonly referred to as Micro Cup 2023, was the inaugural edition of the Micronesian Futsal Cup, the international futsal championship organised by Federated States of Micronesia Football Association for the men's national teams of Micronesia. It was the first competition of any kind for the FSM islands for five years and its first futsal event.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Micronesia (Federated States) - HRMI Rights Tracker". rightstracker.org. Retrieved 2022-03-25.
  2. "Life expectancy at birth, male (years) - Micronesia, Fed. Sts. | Data". The World Bank. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  3. "Life expectancy at birth, female (years) - Micronesia, Fed. Sts. | Data". The World Bank. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
  4. 1 2 Brody JA, Hussels I, Brink E, Torres J (1970). "Hereditary blindness among Pingelapese people of Eastern Caroline Islands". Lancet. 1 (7659): 1253–7. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(70)91740-X. PMID   4192495.
  5. 1 2 Hussels IE, Morton NE (1972). "Pingelap and Mokil Atolls: achromatopsia". Am. J. Hum. Genet. 24 (3): 304–9. PMC   1762260 . PMID   4555088.
  6. Asher, Johnson (2002). "Federated States of Micronesia Health Services in Relation to Medical Services". Journal of South Pacific Law. 6. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  7. "Micronesia (Federated States of)". WHO. 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  8. Hospitals and Clinics Embassy of the United States, Kolonia
  9. "Federated States of Micronesia". Rural Health INfo. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  10. https://islandsbusiness.com/news-break/mass-resignation-in-fsm-state-hospital/