Litia Cava 
[Photo: FILE]
Fiji is seeing a clear decline in births, alongside lingering weaknesses in how those births are recorded.
The Fiji National Vital Statistics Report 2020–2022 shows crude birth rates dropped from 23.8 to 20 per 1,000 people over three years.
Total fertility also fell from 3.1 to 2.7. The shift points to smaller families and a slowing population growth rate.
But the report from the Fiji Bureau of Statistics flags a deeper concern.
It states that gaps in data collection widened during the COVID-19 period. In 2021 alone, nearly 2,000 births were not immediately captured in official systems. The delay is linked to disruptions in registration and reporting.
By 2022, that gap had narrowed. The report says this reflects improved coordination between health facilities and national databases. Still, inconsistencies remain across reporting systems.
The Ministry of Health and Medical Services notes that some facilities continue to submit incomplete data. In particular, birth details such as sex are often missing in national reports. This limits deeper analysis of fertility trends.
The report stresses that accurate and timely birth registration is essential. Without it, planning for health services, education and future population needs becomes less reliable.
