[Photo: FILE]

Discrepancies between key birth data systems continue to highlight gaps in how national statistics are compiled and aligned.

The Fiji National Vital Statistics Report 2020–2022 shows differences across the CMRIS, Ministry of Health Notification of Births and Civil Registry systems, even as overall completeness improves.

The CMRIS system recorded around 20,000 to 21,000 births in 2020 and 2021, before dropping to 18,183 in 2022. The report describes it as a stable system for capturing aggregate facility-level births.

Still, it notes that COVID-19 disruptions affected reporting. Some births were not fully captured, especially those outside standard facility settings. Limited resources and alternative delivery sites contributed to the gaps.

The Ministry of Health Notification of Birth data shows strong gains in coverage. National completeness rose from 41 percent in 2020 to full coverage, then 90 percent in 2021 and 98 percent in 2022.

The report highlights strong performance at major hospitals. Lautoka Divisional Hospital maintained above 90 percent completeness. CWM Hospital improved sharply, from very low coverage in 2020 to 97 percent in 2022.

However, smaller facilities recorded uneven results. The report notes greater fluctuations in lower-volume hospitals, where reporting consistency remained a challenge.

The Civil Registry system also improved over the period. Completeness increased from 80 percent in 2020 to 89 percent in 2021, before reaching 101 percent in 2022.

The report from the Fiji Bureau of Statistics links the 2022 rise partly to delayed registrations being captured. It also points to increased registration activity during the Inflation Mitigation Assistance Programme.

While overall data coverage has strengthened, the report stresses ongoing inconsistencies between systems. It says better integration is needed to ensure reliable and unified national birth statistics.