Peace Winds Palau’s Health Ship: the First Screenings of 2023
Peace Winds Palau kicked off March with five more health screening demonstrations across three of Palau’s many islands! Community members have been ready and excited to meet the Kensing ship at the docks to receive free health screenings. The screenings target adults and older teens who have not been diagnosed with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes or hypertension.
Doctors and nurses welcomed Palauans onto the Kensing for a consultation and to check basic metrics such as height and weight, blood pressure, and A1c, as well as to provide secondary screenings such as EKGs and ultrasounds. Peace Winds and the Kensing health screening ship are helping hundreds of Palau’s residents detect NCDs early so they can manage these diseases and get the best care possible.
In addition to providing health screenings, the Peace Winds Palau team has been working to educate Palau’s public about healthy habits to mitigate the incidents of NCDs in the first place. This includes hosting a booth at Palau’s night markets where residents can meet the Kensing mascot, Toktang the surgeonfish, and speak to doctors and nurses about how to best manage their health. Peace Winds attended Palau’s Ministry of Health and Human Services 2023 Health Summit where our staff members got to speak and learn from other health leaders. You can also find healthy recipe videos on the Peace Winds Palau Facebook page!
To prepare for the first health screenings of 2023, the Peace Winds Palau team took the Kensing ship out for a trial voyage in February through the waters surrounding Koror, the most populated region of Palau. Crew members worked onboard the ship to practice safety, deck handling, and navigation in preparation for the March screenings.
Peace Winds looks forward to conducting more health screenings this year, and we thank you for your continued support! In the meantime, be sure to check out the Peace Winds Palau Facebook page for more photos, updates, and healthy recipes.
