The Ministry of Health is faced with the challenge of vulnerable Fijians defaulting on their necessary medical check-ups and clinical visits during this third wave of COVID-19.

The Ministry of Health is faced with the challenge of vulnerable Fijians defaulting on their necessary medical check-ups in light of COVID-19.

This has prompted medical teams in all divisions to visit these defaulters and provide oversight on how they are doing, however, this is not enough as most need constant medical services.

Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong says that while some vulnerable Fijians continue to seek medical interventions, others who disregard them can worsen their existing health condition.

“The Ministry of Health has sorted outline leads so that we know the patients that we have identified and who we’ve been working with who are attending all our special outpatient clinics and that we’ve provided some level of oversight over them. Unfortunately, it seems there are a lot of people who are either defaulted on our clinic or being cared for in informal settings that make it difficult for us to access and provide any oversight over them.”

Doctor Fong adds employers are also being reminded to provide a safe work environment for vulnerable employees.

“We’ve also asked the same thing from our business houses to look at all the various vulnerable groups within their workforce and to provide some oversight over those vulnerable groups.”

The Ministry reveals that severe health complications among the vulnerable make up the most deaths in Fiji’s case and those with co-morbid issues are encouraged not to miss their clinical visits.

The World Health Organization have even warned that the rampant spread of COVID-19 in communities pose great risks to those with underlying health condition.