Secretary confident with preparations

Health secretary Tupou Faireka may be out of the country, but this week he kept in close contact with Rarotonga to ensure the ministry would be able to provide emergency and essential health services in the wake of cyclone Pat.

Faireka said he was confident that his ministry has the capacity to deal with the potential effects of the cyclone.

He told Cook Islands News he would be suggesting that a medical team fly to Aitutaki to assess the situation there.

“Probably a doctor and one of the directors of health with a team may need to go there,” he said, adding that communications with the health staff in Aitutaki had not yet been established.

Faireka is currently in Port Vila, Vanuatu attending the UN Pacific Conference on the Human Face of the Global Economic Crisis.

“I talked to the minister (of health Apii Piho) this morning and I’m keeping in touch by email with (acting health secretary) Dr Rangi (Fariu). I heard that the ministry has been closed but essential services will continue,” he said. “We’ve got the capacity to handle any devastating effects of the cyclone. We have the staff, resources, and we are well trained.”

The conference concluded last night.