Headman Grateful For Hygiene Kits, Timely Response by Health Ministry
Sixty-two households living at the Bila area in Naviago, Lautoka received $17,500 worth of hygiene kits from the Minister for Health and Medical Services, Rosy Akbar, yesterday.
Naviago Village headman Savenaca Saucoko said they were grateful for the much needed assistance from the Government, in response to the flood. “This was in addition to the help their team had already been providing since the flood, for that we are grateful, because despite the loss of belongings we are thankful that everyone is alive and healthy,” Mr Saucoko said.
He said the quick response from the Health Ministry officials really prevented an outbreak of diseases, had there been any.
The people in the area were reassured by Ms Akbar that the Health Ministry’s environmental units would provide assistance in whatever ways it could.
“The teams will be here to assist in how we can carry out some more work,” Ms Akbar said.
“I hope that the hygiene kits given to them will be well looked after because it will be of good assistance to them.” WARNING AGAINST DISEASE OUTBREAKS
“Part of the reason for my visit here was to talk to you about certain diseases that come about because we do not keep our environment and ourselves clean.”
The minister reiterated that the threat of dengue fever was still very active because of the events following the recent floods.
CHILDREN FROM THE AGES 1-19 TO BE VACCINATED FOR MENINGITIS C
“It is a very bad bacterial infection affecting children from one-year to 19, now what we have decided that we want vaccination injection for children from one-year to 19-yearold,” Minister Akbar said.
She said the vaccine would not be given to persons over the age of 19. “Because research and case studies in Fiji has shown that only the people between one and 19 were being affected, the rest of us we can keep away from this by keeping ourselves clean,” the minister said.
She told the people at Bila Settlement in Naviyago that it was important for them to exercise good hygiene because it helped in the prevention of many potential viral infections and diseases.