France has awarded a grant of VT 8,000,000 to the National University of Vanuatu (NUV) to support its research project in health - traditional medicine.
Biodiversity in the overseas territories of the Pacific (New Caledonia, French Polynesia) and the Republic of Vanuatu provide essential ecosystem services to their populations, particularly in the context of health care. Indeed, plants represent a source of easily accessible and free basic care, commonly used by these populations.
Traditional Kanak, Polynesian and Vanuatu medicine includes a significant component dedicated to the treatment of infant and child pathologies.
Although widely used, traditional medicine suffers from a lack of institutional recognition and from practices considered risky for infants and children, due to a lack of studies and supervision. Some practices have a positive benefit/risk balance and could be integrated into the therapeutic arsenal of conventional medicine.
Other practices present dangers for children pathologist health and a better knowledge and information of these practices could reduce their risks.
Through the involvement of NUV, an institution established in 2020, the objective of this project is also to actively promote research within the institution and to strengthen its capacity by signing a partnership between partner institutions.
The partnership will allow the implementation of research training activities for PhD students and future PhD students from Vanuatu and to allocate a partial Master and/or PhD scholarship for a student from Vanuatu selected to participate in the project.
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