We need to Take other health Threats seriously Apart from COVID-19

It’s a major concern that 10 Fijians have died from leptospirosis, a disease spread by contact with water and soil contaminated by urine of infected animals.

This comes as we worry about dengue carrying mosquitoes in the wake of the series of wet weather events.

President Major-General (Ret’d) Jioji Konrote and Minister Defence, National Security, Policing, Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management Inia Seruiratu led the charge the other day to pick rubbish at Nanuku informal settlement in Vatuwaqa.

Civil servants around the country have joined the campaign to clean up our environment.

The target is mosquito breeding places and areas where livestock is kept.

The responsibility to keep our environment clean is everyone’s. If you live in an area, your responsibility is to make sure you keep it clean.

It is totally irresponsible to expect someone else to do it for you. Those who have genuine civic pride will take the initiative and do what’s right.

And let’s start from home. Take some time to look around your compound and see what can be done to keep it clean. If there are empty containers lying around and you are not using them, take them to the dump. These containers are potential breeding places for mosquitoes.

If the compound floods when it rains, then you need to look at the drainage system. You may have a blocked drain that needs to be unblocked by clearing the debris.

Grass must be cut regularly and gardens should be maintained to keep the environment clean. We should avoid the indiscriminate dumping of rubbish which is a major worry for town councils. On leptospirosis, people should avoid swimming or wading in water contaminated with animal urine. It’s a safe practice to wear gumboots or some form of footwear when you walk close to where animals breed.The disease, caused by a bacterial infection, can lead to severe kidney and liver damage in animals and spread to humans. If it is not treated it can kill people.

If you have a fever and chills, coughing, diarrhoea, vomiting, headache, muscle pain, rash, red and irritated eyes and jaundice, see your doctor without delay. It is treatable with antibiotics.

The key is early detection and treatment.

Because of the wild weather patterns we become vulnerable to these diseases.

So we must be alert and take the preventive measures to keep us safe.

We have done well so far with COVID-19. We need to treat other health threats with urgency.

So we need to be alert and take the preventive measures to keep us safe