Tag Village Health Committees

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

FIJIANS URGED TO AVOID TRAVEL TO A FEW CENTRAL AFRICAN COUNTRIES

PUBLIC ADVISORY # 32 | 25 May 2026.

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services advises Fijians to avoid non-essential travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and neighbouring countries with shared land borders, including South Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, Angola, the Republic of the Congo, and the Central African Republic. Anyone travelling to these destination is advised to take precautions to avoid possible exposure to Ebola Disease by:

  • Avoiding contact with sick individuals;
  • Avoiding contact with animals in forested areas;
  • Avoiding the consumption of bushmeat or wild animal meat; and
  • Practicing good personal hygiene and regular handwashing.

Travelers should also monitor themselves for symptoms while in affected countries and for 21 days after leaving. Signs and Symptoms Travelers returning from affected countries should monitor themselves for symptoms for 21 days after departure from the affected countries.

Symptoms may include:

  • Fever;
  • Severe headache;
  • Muscle pain;
  • Weakness or fatigue;
  • Sore throat;
  • Vomiting or Diarrhoea;
  • Rash; and
  • Unexplained bleeding or bruising.

Anyone who develops symptoms during this monitoring period should immediately self-isolate and contact their nearest health facility or local health authority by telephone for advice. Early notification will help healthcare workers safely assess and manage suspected cases while protecting others from possible exposure. The Ministry is also working closely with partner agencies at international points of entry, including Nadi International Airport, to implement targeted health screening and follow-up measures for travellers who have visited affected countries within 21 days prior to arrival in Fiji. The Ministry will continue to monitor the global situation closely, maintain surveillance for early detection of any cases, and work with World Health Organisation and partner agencies to adapt the national response as necessary.

The Ministry is currently reviewing and monitoring the global situation on the Ebola Disease and is updating necessary prevention, preparedness, response plans and protocols that will be implemented should the need arise. These measures include strengthened surveillance and case identification, review of border health protocols at international points of entry, preparedness for laboratory testing of suspected cases, and review of infection prevention and control and case management protocols. Although the risk to Fiji from this Ebola outbreak remains low, preparedness is a necessary proactive measure. The Ministry is also liaising with relevant agencies to determine whether any Fijian nationals are currently in the affected areas.

These measures are in place after the WHO declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) for Ebola Disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda last week. The declaration also stated that the outbreak does not meet the criteria for a pandemic emergency, which is the highest level of global alert. As of 22nd May 2026, Uganda has reported two confirmed cases of Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) both linked to areas in the Democratic Republic of the Congo where BVD transmission has been documented. BVD is a rare species of the Ebola Virus. The WHO has assessed the risk as “Very High” for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and “High” for Uganda as of 22 May 2026.

WHO has also noted that the epidemiological situation differs between the two countries in terms of the scale of the outbreak and the context in which response efforts are being implemented. According to WHO reports the Democratic Republic of the Congo had recorded a total of 516 suspected Ebola cases, of which 33 had been laboratory confirmed. In addition, 131 suspected deaths had been reported, including four confirmed deaths.

MINISTRY MONITORS SPREAD OF HANTAVIRUS

PUBLIC ADVISORY # 30 | 11 May 2026.

The Ministry of Health & Medical Services, continues to monitor the outbreak of Hantavirus on the Hondius cruise ship now anchored off Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands.

The Fiji Centre for Disease Control (FCDC) at the Ministry understands that eight (8) cases have been identified, with three (3) deaths and they will continue to monitor the situation.

No cases have been reported to date in Fiji, and none of the cruise ship passengers are from Fiji.

The risk to Fiji from this cruise ship outbreak is very low.

As part of standard protocols, in-line with international requirements, all ships at international ports of entry in Fiji are subject to strict health declaration and inspection requirements, before clearance for entry in order to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

These include the production of Ship Sanitation Certificates (which include information on de-ratting) and Maritime Declaration of Health identifying sick passengers on board.

These standard protocols for ships at ports of entry include the boarding of vessels for inspection by Environmental Health Officers of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services and escalation in line with contingency plans as needed.

The Ministry also has in place surveillance systems for the reporting of infectious diseases, and protocols at international ports of entry for the isolation and treatment of sick passengers, including through our Border Health Protection Unit in Nadi as needed.

Hantavirus is a rare and serious disease transmitted to humans through exposure to the urine, faeces and saliva of infected rodents like rats or mice.

It is not easily spread from human to human, however, the Andes strain causing the cruise ship outbreak has been shown to transmit amongst close contacts.

ENDS

MOSQUITO SPRAYING PROGRAM – SAVUSAVU RESIDENTS

PUBLIC ADVISORY # 27 | 28 April 2026.

The Ministry of Health & Medical Services wishes to inform all residents mentioned below that our Health Inspectors at the Savusavu Health Office will be conducting mosquito spraying from today – Tuesday 28/04/2026 until Thursday 30/04/2026.

DateTimeTarget Area
Tuesday 28.04.265pm – 7pmVuiyasawa Settlement, Provincial Office Compound, Savusavu Police Station
Wednesday 29.04.265am – 7amYaroi Village, Nasavusavu District School Compound
 5pm – 7pmNabauto Govt Quaters, Savusavu Hospital Compound, NFA Compound
Thursday 30.04.265am – 7am Naqere Area
 5pm – 7pmKetei, Savudrodro village, Savarekareka, WAF , RPA, St Bedes Dorm, St Andrews Primary School, St Bedes Secondary School Compound

Ketei, Savudrodro village, Savarekareka, WAF , RPA, St Bedes Dorm, St Andrews Primary School, St Bedes Secondary School Compound This initiative is part of our ongoing efforts to reduce mosquito population and prevent the spread of mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue fever.

Important Information for Residents:

  • The insecticide in the fog is not harmful to human at the low concentration used and it has no odour.
  • Fogging operations are conducted in the early morning or late afternoon as this is the time when the outdoor dengue mosquito vector is most active.
  • Residents are advised not to be concerned about the fog and are also requested to leave their doors and windows open when the fogging machine is in their area, so that the fog can kill mosquitoes in the homes.
  • Residents are also advised to continue destroying dengue mosquitoes breeding places in their yard and to protect themselves and their family from mosquito bites.

 The Ministry looks forward to the co-operation of community members listed above in ensuring the success of this program. 

Together, we can create a healthier and safer environment.

For further information, please contact: Ministry of Health and Medical Services on 3306177 or Toll Free number 158.

ENDS