The Ministry of Health has highlighted the need to ensure nurses and other front-line workers are protected during any disease outbreak or pandemic.

In collaboration with UNICEF, the Ministry is looking at ways to safeguard these men and women who have led the charge in screening 93 percent of the population against COVID-19.

Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete says evidence-based best practices will ensure all nurses are safe.

“Nurses as I’ve said before are at the front-line and they are the backbone. They man the hospital, they are part of our mobile fever teams that screened 93% of Fiji, they assist in quarantine facilities and they continue to do so. They are the first port of call when a person comes to the fever clinic and they’ve been doing this even before the onset of the pandemic.”

UNICEF representative to the Pacific Sheldon Yett says nurses’ safety remains a priority.

“There are some 6,000 nurses around the Pacific who have the benefits of getting this information. These nurses are the front-line workers and the bread and butter of the Universal health care, something that all of us are working hard to achieve in the Pacific.”

The two organizations are working with Pacific counterparts to help manage any surge in COVID-19 infections.