Public health nursing goals for children include:
Obesity is a medical term used to describe excess body weight that can affect your health. Children with obesity are at greater risk of health problems now and in the future, and more likely to have obesity as adults. A 2019 survey of our school-aged children in the Cook Islands was alarming with overweight and obesity rates having increased from 31% in 2017 to 46% in 2019.
This statistic is higher in The State of the World’s Children 2019 report published by international children’s charity, UNICEF with 63% of children in the Cook Islands classifying as overweight and obese.
In 2017, the Pacific Health Ministers’ endorsed the establishment of the Pacific Ending Childhood Obesity (ECHO) network to address child obesity in the region.
Information for mothers
Information for fathers
Breast milk is the perfect food for babies especially during the first 6 months. Breast milk helps protect babies against colds, infections and allergies. After 6 months, exclusive breastfeeding is not enough on its own for your baby to grow and develop. This is the time to start your baby on solid food, though wherever possible you should continue breastfeeding until the baby is at least 1 years old.
Breastfeeding is perfect for mothers too because it helps you feel close to your baby, gives you a change to rest, saves time, is free and may reduce your risk of some cancers.
Cigarette smoke is very harmful for your baby, both during pregnancy and after birth. Babies who live with smokers get sick more often than those who don’t. Breathing in second-hand smoke can make your baby sick. It can chest infections, asthma, and increase risk of sudden unexpected death in infancy (SIDS).
The Cook Islands Baby Show is a time-honoured event that draws attention to the health and welfare of our children and communities. Beginning in the late 1930’s, the Cook Islands Baby Show has evolved into an eagerly anticipated biennial event for parents and caregivers, the community, as well as the main coordinating non-government organisation, the Cook Islands Child Welfare Association, in collaboration with Te Marae Ora. The baby show was held on Rarotonga and Aitutaki in September and October 2019.
Postnatal checks for mothers and babies continue to be provided through public health nursing.
Our objectives are to:
Postnatal depression can occur in both parents, and occurs when you feel down after having a baby, but those feelings don’t go away. Some of the signs and symptoms to look out for:
Our support services for older people include:
Health care services are free for those over the age of 60 years.
Te Marae Ora has a long history of caring for people with disability at the hospital, when there is an absence of a caregiver or family member to do so. We support the Creative Centre and Ministry of Internal Affairs to provide social welfare services for those with a disability, while our teams provide clinical oversight and personal care such as medication management, dressings and wound management.