MHMS FIJI
MHMS FIJI

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STATEMENT FROM THE PERMANENT SECRETARY FOR HEALTH

Date: November 30th 2020

Bula Vinaka.

Today we are announcing four new border quarantine cases of COVID-19. These are Fijian citizens who arrived at Nadi airport on flight NZ952 from Auckland on Thursday 26th November: a 28 year old female and 58 year old male who had travelled from Kenya, a 36 year old male travelling from Mali, and a 53 year old male travelling from France.

As with previous border quarantine cases, these four new cases were under strict border quarantine conditions from the time the flight into Nadi landed. This includes entering compulsory 14-day quarantine at a government designated quarantine facility- supervised by the Republic of Fiji Military Forces and the Ministry of Health and Medical Services. They are all in stable condition and have been transferred to the isolation unit at Lautoka hospital according to our standard protocol for confirmed cases.

With these new cases we now have 7 active border quarantine cases. And as I continue to emphasize: As long as our border quarantine and isolation unit infection prevention control protocols are upheld, there is no risk to the Fijian public from these new border quarantine cases.

Now at 226 days without a local case of COVID-19 in our communities, we continue to support and commend our frontline border and isolation unit staff as they protect Fiji from the pandemic.

More information on COVID-19 in Fiji is available at the Ministry of Health and Medical Services website: http://www.health.gov.fj/covid-19-updates

Border Quarantine Case – Media Release

Media Release

Tuesday, November 24, 2020

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) today is announcing three (3) new border quarantine cases of COVID-19.

The 1st 2 cases are Fijian citizens who are both in their 40s and worked in a mining company in Mali. They started their journey home from Mali on the 16th of November, to board the repatriation flight from New Zealand on the 19th of November. They both displayed minor symptoms on arrival which has now resolved.

The 3rd case is a 51-year-old male non-Fiji citizen who arrived in Nadi on the 19th of November, on the same New Zealand flight. His port of origin was Germany. He has a work permit in Fiji and returning with his family to complete his contract. He is asymptomatic now and isolated from his family.

As with all prior border quarantine cases, these latest cases have been under strict border quarantine conditions since arrival into Nadi, at which time they began compulsory 14-day quarantine at a government-designated quarantine facility under supervision from the Republic of Fiji Military Forces and the MHMS.

The 3 individual positive entry test, was conducted on day 2 of quarantine as part of the standard border process.

Fiji now has 38 COVID-19 cases overall, and these new cases mean Fiji now has three (3) active COVID cases. The patients are in stable condition and have been transferred to the isolation ward at the Lautoka hospital as per standard protocol for confirmed cases. The frontline border and quarantine staff who were directly involved with these patients will all be monitored and tested as per COVID-19 protocols.

MHMS wishes to remind the public and those intending to travel into Fiji that our Border Health protection team will continue to diligently enforce our border quarantine and infection control protocols, and therefore these border quarantine cases continue to pose zero risks to the health and wellbeing of the Fijian public.

MHMS and the Republic of Fiji Military Forces in preparation for an increase in repatriation activity at the border are now strengthening the border health quarantine team with the training and deployment of officials and increased supply of PPEs.

MHMS also requests the public to continue to practice physical distancing, proper cough etiquette, and good hand hygiene. The public is also to adhere to all health recommendations and instructions to ensure that we remain COVID contained.

——–end——–

Media Release: New Border Quarantine Case of COVID-19

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) today is announcing one new border quarantine case of COVID-19. The patient is a 53-year-old male Fijian citizen who arrived in Nadi on Thursday 5th November 2020, on a repatriation flight from New Zealand. His Initial port of Origin was the United States of America.

As with all prior border quarantine cases, this latest patient has been under strict border quarantine conditions since arrival into Nadi, at which time he began compulsory 14-day quarantine at a government-designated quarantine facility under supervision from the Republic of Fiji Military Forces and the MHMS. He has not displayed any symptoms since his arrival in Fiji. The entry test was conducted on day 2 of quarantine as part of our standard border process.

Fiji has now had 35 COVID-19 cases overall, and this new case is Fiji’s only active COVID case. He remains in stable condition and has been transferred to the isolation ward at the Lautoka hospital as per standard protocol for confirmed cases. The frontline border and quarantine staff who were directly involved with this patient will all be monitored and tested as necessary.

Our border Health protection team continues to diligently enforce our border quarantine and infection control protocols, and therefore this border quarantine case continues to pose zero risks to the health and wellbeing of the Fijian public.

 -ENDS-

Health Ministry updates the Doctors Internship Program

October 29th, 2020

The newly graduated medical doctors are required to undergo a two year internship program compared to the one year program that was practiced until 2019 before they are deployed to serve our communities in the Health Facilities around the country.

This was revealed by the Minister for Health and medical services Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete as he opened the Meeting on the review of the internship program at the Grand Pacific Hotel this morning.

The Health Ministry in collaboration with the Fiji National University and the University of Fiji has been engaged in increasing the pool of doctors trained and ready to be deployed following a standardized and expended Internship Program.

Dr Waqainabete says that it is very important that the new doctors are groomed in such a way to handle the many challenges in their line of duty and they should be well prepared to address them.

“One of the reasons why we are here is how we can make their experience as a young professional a rewarding one and they become professionals in skills, knowledge, and behavior”.

The WHO Representative of the in the South Pacific Dr Corinne Capuano highlighted that Medical Internships are of great significance to cultivate clinical thinking and sharpen clinical skills.

“The extension of the Fiji Medical Internship duration is therefore a positive development which should help newly qualified doctors to experience a wider range of specialties.

She further said that WHO stands ready to support endeavors in Fiji to strengthen human resource planning for health.

Upon completion of the workshop, the Ministry hopes to finalize the proposed Medical Internship Program ready for implementation.

Health Ministry Pharmaceuticals Supply Chain Reform Project to improve access to medicines

22 October, 2020 Suva. The Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) through the Fiji Pharmaceuticals and Biomedical Services, today launched the Fiji Pharmaceuticals Supply Chain Reform project, in partnership with the Australian Government.

The project aims to improve the efficiency of supply chain management and procurement systems in order to increase availability, access and timely distribution of medicines and consumables to health facilities across Fiji.

Annually, the Government of Fiji spends around FJD50 million on medicines and consumables. Despite an overall adequate budget, chronic shortages and out of stocks of essential medicines are reported.

“Through this reform project, the Fiji Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Services will be able to make 30-40% savings through better contract management, more efficient tendering and improved logistics management,” Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete said.

“The issue isn’t that we aren’t procuring enough medicines for the country, it’s the processes in which it is procured, distributed and monitored that we will improve, to ensure that all Fijians have access to medicines through their hospitals and health centres.

We are grateful to the Australian Government for partnering with us to bring much needed efficiencies to our pharmaceutical supply chain,” Dr Waqainabete added.

The project will be managed by Beyond Essential Systems of Australia, a company with extensive experience in supply chain reform and management in the Pacific region.

“The Australian Government is pleased to support the Ministry of Health and Medical Services in this mammoth project. Through this partnership, Beyond Essential Systems will introduce innovative supply mapping technology that will streamline the medical supply chain and bring about equitable access to vital medicines for Fijians,” Australia’s Deputy High Commissioner to Fiji, John Feakes said.

 

“Our Government is proud to continue to support the Fiji Government’s vision for a healthy population through projects such as this that will ensure that Fijians have access to the right medicines, of the right quality and quantity and at the right time,” Mr Feakes added.