Ministry of Health

The partnership will strengthen health services and make them accessible in the remote areas.

Health workers and representatives of eleven local government area councils met in Sanma Province recently to re-address the need to establish primary health care in their communities.

The Ministry presented the focus on primary health care and how it can be implemented with support and ownership of the community people.

Priority plans put forward will be supported through a pilot project with the support of the Ministry’s development partners.

Minister of Health, Bruno Leingkone confirmed the date in his Covid-19 update, Tuesday.

Leingkone said that as part of the soft border reopening scheduled from 14 June, the government will remove its quarantine requirement for citizens and those traveling under the special category visa.

Passengers will no longer undergo quarantine requirements when traveling to Vanuatu, effective from 14 June.

Vira said the new position comes with a lot of responsibilities.

“This position is different from the past experience.”

“It is obviously a big undertaking, given the Covid-19 pandemic, it is quite a challenge but I am confident with the team available, and development partners, we can get through this”

Vira aims to use youths to create more awareness of the pandemic.

“I will be in discussion with managers and directors as well. Be transparent and accountable in what we do.”

The trainings covered sanitation and hygiene, neglected tropical disease, and promotional of Covid-19 materials with all community key leaders in the priority of areas in Malekula and Tanna.

The aim was to ensure participants are familiar with the Sanitation and Hygiene Manual Guideline and associated information education and communications material.

Samples sequenced by the Ministry of Healtth and the Doherty Institute in Melbourne, were determined to be Omicron , the latest COVID-19 variant in circulation around the world.

The Ministry of Health’s Permanent Secretary, Doctor James Fong said Fiji has community transmission of both Omicron and Delta variants throughout the country.

He added that it explains the high number of cases recorded recently given the high transmissibility of the variant.

Health experts are warning it will become the dominant variant.

The Ministry of Health’s Permanent Secretary Dr James Fong said this will involve a three- day stay in a hotel with a test to be done on day two.

A negative result will allow for discharge into the community on day three.

Dr Fong also said  incoming travel from today will be restricted to diplomats, returning residents, permit holders, and those approved by the Covid 19 Risk Mitigation Taskforce.

The Border Risk Reduction Protocol Processes will be trialed during this time and further refined in preparation for the 1st of December.

The Ministry hopes to start the vaccination campaign from 15th November to support the safe reopening of schools.

MOH’s Permanent Secretary, Doctor James Fong said  Covid-19 poses a lower risk to children however secondary transmission from young school-aged children can and does occur.

Dr Fong added with the successful rollout of the Moderna vaccine for 15 to 17 years old, the Ministry is now focusing on the lower age group.

Another 63 new cases have been recorded for 12 October.

The Ministry of Health’s Permanent Secretary, Doctor James Fong said in the past seven days, 163 cases were recorded in the central division, 211 new cases in the western division, and 17 new cases in the eastern division.

Fong added that the central division cases constitute 71 percent of the cumulative total cases nationally, with the western division making up 27% and 2% in the northern and eastern divisions.

There are ten COVID-19 deaths reported for the period of 7 July to 12 October, 2021.

Acting Medical Superintendent, Dr. Jimmy Obed said the field of mental health is still a relatively new era in Vanuatu.

“Vanuatu has its challenges when it comes to getting help or support for mental wellbeing. For example, stigma and discrimination, lack of understanding of the importance of mental health, scattered islands, socio-economic status and many more. But each of us has a role to play to support each other and stay mentally healthy,” he said in a statement.

The Ministry of Health’s Permanent Secretary, Doctor James Fong said 69 cases are from the Western Division, 68 cases from the Central and nine cases from the Eastern Division.

There was one lone COVID-19 death reported.

A 93-year-old unvaccinated man from Suva died at home.

Dr Fong said there have been eight more deaths of positive patients classified as non-COVID deaths.

There have been 217 new recoveries since the last update and there are currently 12,870 active cases in the country.