WHO Pacific Island Mental Health Network

The network includes:

• Solomon Islands
• Fiji
• Vanuatu
• PNG
• Tonga
• Samoa
• Tokelau
• Kiribati
• Niue
• Cook Islands
• Nauru
• Palau
• Federated States of Micronesia
• American Samoa
• Marshall Islands
• Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

Summary

WHO has established the Pacific Island Mental Health network. The network currently comprises 18 Pacific Island countries working  together and sharing knowledge and experiences in order to improve mental health in their country. 

An important prioirity identified by these countries is human resource development with an emphasis on training and supporting primary care workers to identify and manage people with mental  health problems. 

This is being done in the context of overall mental health policy and law reform as well as service strengthening for mental health.

Job Description

• Conduct training workshops for doctors and nurses (at secondary and primary care level) covering identification and management of mental disorders including the following conditions: Schizophrenia, depression, bipolar, anxiety, drug and alcohol, epilepsy: assessment, diagnosis, clinical presentation, suicide prevention. Workshops should include: assessment, diagnosis, informed consent, medication use, counselling, family education and support, and psychosocial support.
  
• Undertake jont consultations on the above with doctors and nusres at secondary and primary caere levels as primary method of training.
  
• Assist with the evaluation of the training being conducted, using evaluation methodology developed by WHO
  
• Liase with local WHO office, Ministry of Health, health service staff and community groups in order to facilitate the training and psychosocial support

The length of assignment is for a minimum of three months and is available now.