In separate news today I posted on Linkedin the sad details relating to Covid-19 cases occurring in our neighbouring country, Fiji, but didn’t mention that in one hospital the authorities have had to temporarily close down the premises due to staff having themselves succumbed to Covid while attending to the needs of patients that had Covid-19.
The Solomon Islands is so far blessed with having successfully kept the dreaded virus away, but just imagine what kind of situation would be occurring at the NRH with patients sleeping in crowded conditions on the floor with no regard to social distancing or the wearing of face masks and the use of hand sanitizing gel.
I will quote my report on the Fiji situation as given by Radio New Zealand earlier today, but would stress the claimed conditions at the NRH are risky to say the least and I repeat my offer of help with hospital beds or perhaps hospital trollies from my partner charity in New Zealand if only the MHMS through the government could fund the shipping charge for a 40 ft container of hospital equipment.
Here is my piece on Linkedin regarding the worrying situation in Fiji.
Quote.
Fiji's Covid-19 cases continue to escalate as medical authorities record another record breaking 166 new people now infected Covid-19 and a death at the Colonial War Memorial (CWM) Hospital in the capital Suva.
The Fijian government has stopped providing information about where the case increases are and the Ministry of Health and Medical Services permanent secretary James Fong admitted that community transmission was now 'broad.'
The latest death is a 77 year-old man detected by a CWM screening team at his home where he had been bed ridden for several months.
Despite that he had pre-existing medical conditions, doctors assessing clinical data have attributed the cause of death to Covid-19. He represents the 7th to die from the virus, the fifth in this outbreak alone.
Cases in the small township of Lami just outside the capital continues to increase and so measures to ensure safe passage of people from affected containment zones to safe areas on the main island Viti Levu and to other islands is a focus of the government.
"The current priority is therefore to prevent the export of cases into the other non-containment zones. As such any request to move outside of the Central Division to other areas of Viti Levu and from Viti Levu to Vanua Levu and the Maritime zone needs to be strictly regulated," Dr Fong said.
"Pre-departure swab tests and Quarantine capability are being expanded and strengthened to reduce the risk of spread within and beyond the main island, Viti Levu."
Dr Fong said majority of the weekend's new cases were linked to existing clusters so the government will post heat maps on its digital platforms "o delineate case distribution within the Central and Western divisions."
He added everyone should practice Covid Safe measures when they leave their homes irrespective of where they live or are going.
The Ministry of Health vaccination teams continue to roll out as another 50,000 doses of Astrazeneca arrived in Fiji on Saturday night as part of the Australian Government Support.
Vaccination now moves onto the outer islands of the Northern and Eastern Divisions of the country.
Fiji's vaccine of choice remains AstraZeneca despite that the Australian Government from whom it receives the majority of its supply, has recommended the discontinued use of the vaccine for its under 60 year olds.
End of quote.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
