Imprufim heltkea an helt sefisis truaot Solomon aelans bae inofetif ius lo ict an promotim helti ict wokin kondisins and praktisis. Issues 151. Improvements in health are among the targets of the Millennium Development Goals: the fourth of which is to ‘reduce child mortality’; the fifth ‘to reduce maternal mortality’ and the sixth ‘to combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other Disease”.55 Within existing Solomon Islands policy, National Development Strategy Objective 3 is to “ensure all Solomon Islanders have access to quality health care and combat malaria, HIV, non-communicable and other diseases.” 152. The Government’s strategy for development in respect of health care recognizes that women in rural areas have particularly poor access to health and family planning services and that infant mortality and child mortality rates are high.56 153. Development strategies to which greater use of ICT could make a contribution include:57  Ensuring hospitals and clinics maintain adequate stocks of medical supplies.  Raising awareness on specific health issues and promoting awareness of healthful living.  Promoting good infant and young child feeding practices.  Promoting healthy diets by strengthening social marketing and awareness raising.  Providing reproductive health and family planning information and counseling. 154. The National Health Strategic Plan includes, as one of fourteen organizational policies of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, “[d]evelop & better integrate Information & Communication Technology (ICT) systems” – though that and six other policies are ranked at the lowest level of priority.58 The National 55 United Nations “Millenium Declaration”, Millenium Summit (2000). See, Solomon Islands Government 2009 Population and Housing Census (undated) pp 49 – 57. 57 Solomon Islands Government National Development Strategy 2011 - 2020 (2011) pp 18 – 19. 58 Solomon Islands Ministry of Health and Medical Services National Health Strategic Plan 2011 – 2015 (2011) page 27. 56 Page | 53 Solomon Islands National ICT Policy

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