PM Bainimarama applauds arrival of more doctors from Australia and New Zealand
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama thanks a member of the ANZMAT medical team, Dr Brain Spain of Australia, at Albert Park in Suva on July 15, 2021. Dr Spain is part of the Alpha team that will be replaced by a Bravo team, which arrived on Wednesday night. Mr Bainimarama also bid goodbye and thanked the Alpha team for sacrificing their time and effort in helping Fijians during the COVID-19 crisis.
Defeating the COVID-19 virus is a step that needs to be taken in unity by every Fijian.
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama said this as he welcomed the medical professionals and equipment from Australia and New Zealand at Albert Park in Suva yesterday.
“Like every Fijian, I am looking forward to getting back to normal. And we will do that if we all get vaccinated,” Mr Bainimarama said.
“Let’s defeat this virus. Let’s do it together. Let’s reclaim the lives we knew.”
The second team of medical professionals, known as the Bravo team, arrived into the country on Wednesday evening with their equipment.
The Bravo team brought with them three fully equipped ambulances, 19 medical staff, including doctors, nurses and logisticians, 250 stretcher beds, 20 oxygen concentrators, associated medical consumables and additional personal equipment.
Mr Bainimarama said Fiji was still at war with the virus and like in any war, a nation needed allies.
“Most people in Fiji could not possibly know everything that has gone on behind the scenes of our response to this pandemic,” he said.
“But the help we have gotten from Australia and New Zealand goes far beyond the life-saving vaccines they have made available to us. It has included equipment, technical advice, testing of thousands of swab samples and financial support to help us through the economic crisis.”
New Zealand High Commissioner Jonathan Curr said the MAT teams signified the strength of the trilateral partnership between Fiji, New Zealand and Australia.
He said it symbolised the commitment in fighting the pandemic and the confidence they had in the Fijian Government. He said the New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden on Monday had announced more help for Fiji and they would be working with the Fijian Government on how this was delivered. He said he was looking forward to getting his second jab today.
Australian High Commissioner John Feakes commended the excellent work that had been done so far by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services.
Mr Feakes said he was fully vaccinated and he urged Fijians to get themselves jabbed. He added that Australia would continue providing the vaccines to Fiji.