The Health Ministry has so far spent almost three-million-dollars in responding and preparing for COVID-19.

The Health Ministry has so far spent almost three-million-dollars in responding and preparing for COVID-19.

Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete says they’ve held discussions with the Prime Minister on the need for Fiji to be in a state of preparedness to respond to the global pandemic.

He says the COVID-19 response budget will help the Ministry in its response effort.

“Not only in terms of health but in terms of their financial security, their social security and so forth. Apart from the health perspective we are happy that within the next 3-4 months we have got $40m.We’ve had discussions with the Honorable Prime Minister that we need much more than that to be able to make sure that we are in a state of preparedness”.

Dr Waqainabete also highlighted that the $40m budget allocated to the Health sector is a good initiative which will not only help combat the spread of COVID-19, but also look after those in the frontline.

“In the last five weeks or so it’s been a hard grind but certainly working seven days a week and the long hours as Ministers, we understand that COVID-19 is a threat not only to Fijian lives but also to the economy and our prosperity”.

The Ministry is currently conducting an average of 40 COVID-19 tests a day in its molecular laboratory at Mataika House in Tamavua.

The Health Minister says they’re working closely with health officials on the ground to ensure Fijians displaying virus like symptoms are identified and tested.

There are still only five confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country.

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