Kelera Ditaiki 
Poor living conditions in rental properties are becoming a growing public health concern.
The Fiji Institute of Environmental Health is urging lawmakers to include minimum housing standards in the proposed Public Health Amendment Bill.
The Institute said environmental health practitioners regularly receive complaints from tenants living in overcrowded and substandard accommodation.
General Secretary Onisimo Sadranu says many rental properties lack basic health and safety standards, with complaints ranging from poor ventilation and inadequate sanitation facilities that pose health risks to occupants.
“People complain that the houses they are renting do not have proper ventilation or share common bathrooms and toilets.”
Sadranu says the recommendation is based on recurring complaints received by environmental health offices across the country.
The Institute also raises concerns about temporary accommodation facilities, including worker camps, campsites, boarding houses, and other communal lodging arrangements.
Sadranu says they also receive complaints about living conditions in temporary camps and shared accommodation, particularly during seasonal work periods.
He questions whether adequate standards exist to protect the health of people staying in such facilities, including children attending camps, conferences, and other group events.
The Institute is proposing that the Public Health Amendment Bill provide clear authority for health officials to inspect and enforce standards in rental properties and communal lodging facilities, with detailed requirements to be outlined in accompanying regulations.
