Riya Mala 
The Fiji health sector is enhancing its laboratory capabilities with the opening of the Food, Water, and Leptospirosis Laboratory.
During the event, the Ministry of Health has also expressed its Acknowledgement of Fiji’s Elimination of Trachoma this morning at the Fiji Centre for Disease Control.
Minister for Health, Dr. Atonio Lalabalavu, expressed his gratitude to development partners for supporting the ministry in ensuring that the upgrades address current challenges related to food and waterborne diseases.
Dr. Lalabalavu adds that these new laboratories will strengthen early disease detection and further improve the public health sector.
“With the achievement of the new Food and Water Laboratory facility, we are very grateful to KOICA and WHO, as well as other development partners and the Ministry of Health, for assisting in ensuring that the upgrade meets the current challenges we face in terms of food and waterborne diseases. It’s a timely improvement in lab capabilities for Fiji and also for the region.”
Dr. Lalabalavu also acknowledged that Fiji has been awarded by the WHO for the elimination of trachoma, recognizing the country’s achievement in reaching elimination status.
He says that trachoma is one of the leading causes of blindness and is especially common in poverty-stricken areas.
Dr. Lalabalavu adds that Fiji is one of only a few countries worldwide to receive this elimination status.
He emphasized that the goal is not only to celebrate this achievement but also to maintain it, while encouraging other Pacific islands to follow suit.
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