An in-depth regional training programme organised by Japan International Cooperation Agency technical support project, “System improvement of expanded programme on immunization in the Pacific region” (JPIPS Phase 2), will be held at the Fiji Pharmaceutical Biomedical center and FIT/FNU” from February 28 till March 4.
A total of 17 Cold Chain technicians from Fiji, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshalls, Micronesia, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu will attend this regional training titled “Regional training course on Cold Chain maintenance for Pacific Island countries”.
The purpose of this training is to enhance knowledge and skills for technicians on Cold Chain maintenance and thus provide opportunities for capacity building, share best practices and strengthen Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in the Pacific Island countries.
The JPIPS project (Phase 2) is a three-year programme for the Pacific region with a budget of US$1.2million. The training course will be the first for Phase 2.
During Phase 1, JPIPS had conducted a total of six regional training courses.
Two short term experts, Mr Tatsuhiko Tsukakoshi and Mr Hiroyuki Noda have been dispatched by JICA as trainers for this programme.
Seventeen participants will be representatives from Embassy of Japan, WHO, UNICEF, AusAID, NZAID, CDC and other supporting agencies as partners of the Pacific Immunization Partnership Strengthening (PIPS) will be at the opening ceremony.
Phase 1 of JPIPS was conducted from March 2005 till February 2010 with the contribution to the immunisation programme under the PIPS framework through provision of equipment and supporting PIPS workshops, regional training programme and domestic training programme in each country.
In terms of training during the Phase 1 project, a total of 83 EPI nurses and 54 Cold Chain technicians from the PICs were trained.
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