Thanks to the Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP), awareness is growing about the impact of lifestyle diseases on causing disease, disability and premature death in Samoa.
Trans Pacific Union Mission Health director, Dr Paul Wood, prepared CHIP training for 30 church members from around the Samoa-Tokelau Mission, who all came to learn about the benefits that good health can have for their churches and communities. To his surprise, 80 individuals turned up to learn about the program.
A lack of resources meant only 30 could be trained. However, a growing interest and enthusiasm for health in Samoa has prompted the TPUM to arrange for Sibilla Johnston and Dr Chester Kuma to come to Samoa in November to commence training the first cohort of CHEP (Community Health Education Program) participants. They hope to train 25 to 30 from Samoa and American Samoa.
Equipping churches to run comprehensive health programs like CHIP is a key part of the 10,000 Toes campaign strategy to help stamp out diabetes in the South Pacific. The 30 individuals who have received CHIP training will be equipped to improve the health of their local communities.
