Tag Public Notices

RISE IN DIARRHOEA CASES ON BATIKI ISLAND SPARKS EMERGENCY MINISTRY OF HEALTH RESPONSE TO EL NIÑO WATER CRISIS

PUBLIC ADVISORY #40 | 21 September 2026.

The Batiki Nursing Station in the Lomaviti Group has already reported a surge in cases of diarrhoea, highlighting the immediate human toll of this climate adversity.

In response to this urgent health threat, the Ministry of Health & Medical Services has deployed an emergency team to Batiki Island to combat a severe, El Niño-driven water crisis.
Prolonged dry conditions have depleted local rainwater harvesting systems, leaving maritime communities in a desperate struggle for clean water.

To bring immediate relief, an emergency water response team departed Suva for Batiki Island at 8:00 PM last night. The current operation prioritizes the local boarding school and the health center, where families have been forced to share limited communal water reserves.

Continuous supply trips are already scheduled from Levuka to maintain this vital water lifeline.
To protect residents and prevent a wider disease outbreak, the Ministry has put the following emergency measures into action:

  • Medical Lifelines: Clean drinking water has been transported from Ovalau specifically to prepare life-saving Oral Rehydration Solutions (ORS), and essential antibiotics have been pre-positioned at the nursing station.
  • School Protections: Medical officers and health inspectors are on the ground at the boarding school conducting regular health checks and auditing water safety to shield vulnerable students.
  • Supply Chain Management: While the WASH project equipped health centers with water tanks, tank capacity alone cannot withstand a prolonged drought. The Ministry is actively managing the transition to barged and carted water supplies.

Critical Diarrhoea Prevention Guidelines To stop the spread of illness, the Ministry urges all residents to practice the following water-safety measures:

  • Boil All Drinking Water: Bring water to a boil for at least one minute before drinking, cooking, or brushing teeth.
  • Practice Strict Hand Hygiene: Wash hands thoroughly with soap and clean water before preparing food, before eating, and after using the toilet.
  • Protect Water Sources: Keep water storage containers tightly covered to prevent contamination, and use a clean utensil to scoop water.

With local authorities warning that the driest period of this El Niño event will persist between October and December, the Ministry is working around the clock to ensure this environmental crisis does not become a medical tragedy.

ENDS

Influenza Cases Continue to Rise Across Fiji

PUBLIC ADVISORY #39 | 18 September 2026.

The Ministry of Health & Medical Services is urging the public to take extra health precautions following a sharp increase in flu cases across the country. 

The latest respiratory health report, covering the first nine months of the year (January to September 2026), shows that sickness from flu-like viruses is rising quickly.

In the first week of September alone, health centers recorded 1,780 new cases of influenza-like illness (ILI). This is a massive 75 percent jump in sickness compared to just the week before.

Health data shows that the Central Division is currently the hardest-hit area in Fiji, recording the highest number of flu cases with 975 patients seeking care in a single week. 

The Northern Division followed with 398 cases, while the Western Division recorded 362 cases.

The report also reveals that children under 5 years old are the most affected age group. 

This young group makes up 30 percent of all flu-like cases nationwide. 

In the Northern Division, young children accounted for 30 percent of the local cases, while in the Central Division, they made up 24 percent.

Laboratory tests from January to September confirm that a specific flu strain, Influenza A (H1pdm09), is the main virus causing the current outbreak. 

Furthermore, an online public health tracker called FluTracking showed that the number of everyday citizens reporting both a cough and a fever spiked from 10.2 percent to 16.4 percent in one week.

What is the Flu?

The flu (influenza) is a contagious respiratory illness caused by viruses. While it can feel like a common cold, the flu is much more serious. It can lead to severe lung infections like pneumonia, especially for vulnerable groups:

  • Babies and young children;
  • Adults over 60 years old;
  • Pregnant women;
  • People with medical conditions (like diabetes, asthma, heart, or kidney disease);
  • Smokers and individuals with obesity;

Common Symptoms

Most people recover in 7 to 10 days. Typical symptoms include:

  • Fever, headache, and body aches
  • Cough and sore throat
  • Runny or stuffed nose and sneezing
  • Extreme tiredness (fatigue)
  • Vomiting and diarrhoea (mostly in children)

Seek emergency medical care immediately if you experience difficulty breathing, chest pain, severe vomiting, confusion, or severe drowsiness.

How to Protect Yourself and Others

The flu spreads through coughs, sneezes, and touching infected surfaces. Protect your community by following these steps:

  • Wash hands often with soap and water or use hand sanitizer;
  • Cover your mouth and nose  with a tissue or your elbow when coughing or sneezing;
  • Stay home if you are feeling sick;
  • Wear a mask if you are sick and need to go out;

Caring for Sick Children at Home

1. Keep Them Hydrated

Fevers cause dehydration, which can be dangerous for babies.

  • Encourage your child to drink plenty of water and fresh fruit juices (like lemon juice).
  • If breastfeeding, offer shorter, more frequent feeds. You can also express milk and feed it from a cup if they refuse the breast.
  • Watch for dehydration signs: Dry lips, no tears when crying, a sunken soft spot on the head, low energy, or fewer than 3–4 wet nappies in 24 hours. See a doctor immediately if you notice these.

When to Take Your Child to the Doctor

Take your child to a health centre immediately if they:

  • Are under 3 months old and have a fever of 38°C or higher;
  • Have a fever over 38°C for more than two days, or any fever reaching 40°C or higher;
  • Have a fever that does not drop after consulting a healthcare provider regarding fever management;
  • Are unusually drowsy, lethargic, or refuse to eat or drink;
  • Are wheezing or struggling to breathe;

ENDS

SEARCH & RESCUE OPERATIONS INTENSIFIES FOR LAKEBA MEDICAL TEAM

PUBLIC ADVISORY #36 | 30 July 2026.

Joint search and rescue operations have intensified following the disappearance of the Lakeba Medical Team out in the Lau Waters with national and international assets deployed to the search area.

Government officials, emergency services, and international partners are working in a highly coordinated effort to locate the six missing healthcare workers. Currently there have been strategic coordination and briefings with rescue operation teams including the Commissioner Eastern’s Office and the Provincial Administrator Lau (PA Lau) to discuss and to streamline response efforts. A strategic coordination meeting with the Commander of the Fiji Navy and his team to map out maritime search grids was held this afternoon.

Rescue Operation Leads have updated the Minister for Health and the Minister for
Rural and Maritime Development on the situation and ongoing operations.

Active Search Operations Update:

  • Aerial Search: A chartered helicopter launched an aerial search over Lakeba
    waters at 11:30 a.m., scouring the area for approximately four hours.
  • Naval Deployment: With no immediate sightings reported from the air, a Fiji
    Navy rescue vessel departed at 4:00 p.m. to continue surface operations.
  • International Support: The New Zealand Defense Force will arrive tomorrow morning to join the operation, providing critical support to the Government of Fiji and the Fiji Navy.

Further updates will be shared as verified information becomes available.

ENDS

EMERGENCY RESPONSE INITIATED FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS MISSING OUT AT SEA

PUBLIC ADVISORY #35 | 30 July 2026.

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services is relieved that the boat handler for MD Ono-i-Lau has been found this morning, however six more healthcare workers remain missing out in Lau Waters.

The six healthcare workers consist of a Medical Officer, Dental Officer, Charge Nurse, Peer Educator, Health Inspector and a Dental Assistant who were part of a medical outreach team.

The team departed Moce at 7:00am yesterday (Wednesday) bound for Oneata and was expected to arrive after two hours.

The vessel which is powered by a 75 Horsepower engine and carrying sufficient fuel and life jackets. After failing to arrive at the expected time, the District Nurse in Oneata contacted Lakeba Sub Divisional Hospital and search parties were mobilized yesterday afternoon.

Information gathered from the boat handler indicated that after the engine failed, the boat began to take in water. The medical team removed the wooden planks used as flooring in the vessel as their floaters and had their life jackets on.

In an effort to get a mobile reception, the boat handler offered to swim to Aiwa Island and left the rest of the medical team safely secured with no injuries sustained to any of them.

After swimming at open sea for hours, the boat handler was found this morning by a search party from Lakeba.

Over the last 24-hours the Ministry has been working in collaboration with Rescue Operation teams with the Fiji Police Force, Fiji Navy Rescue Coordinating Centre, the Commissioner Eastern’s Office and other organisations.

The Ministry has activated the Command Centres at Lakeba Sub Divisional Hospital and the Eastern Health Divisional Office. Alerts have also been distributed across all 8 villages in Lakeba, as well as community leaders via the district nurses in Nayau, Vanuavatu, Moala, and the Lomaloma Medical Team.

The Ministry acknowledges the sensitivity of the situation and has prioritized informing the next-of-kins of those six healthcare workers still missing at sea. Any further developments, the Ministry will ensure the next-of-kins are reliably informed.

The boat handler is currently undergoing medical treatment at Lakeba Hospital.

The Ministry is appealing to all seafarers, mariners, and coastal communities in the Lakeba–Oneata passage to please keep a lookout for any sightings. Any further developments will be updated.

We ask for your understanding and prayers during this difficult time.

ENDS

VUNISEA HOSPITAL MORTUARY PROJECT IN PROGRESS

PUBLIC ADVISORY # 33 | 1 June 2026.

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services is currently working on the contract documentation for the Vunisea Hospital Mortuary Project in Kadavu after approval from the Government Tender Board (GTB). The Vunisea Hospital Morgue is part of the nine mortuary projects approved by the GTB for upgrades. Part of the upgrade will include the;

  • Removal of the old mortuary unit;
  • Renovation of the mortuary infrastructure;
  • Supply, installation and commissioning of two berth units and associated modern equipment;
  • Installation of the new switchboard and circuit breakers which also include waterproof power points;
  • Training of staff to maintain these units;

Each project is expected to take 6-8 months to complete after the signing of the contract and initial payment. The Vunisea Hospital Morgue is currently non-operational due to the challenges with consistent power supply at Vunisea Government Station in Kadavu. The Ministry sympathises with members of the public in the province of Kadavu for the inconvenience caused in burying their loved ones.

ENDS