Riya Mala 
[Photo Credit: LTG]
The Health Ministry has upgraded the water laboratory and set up a new food and leptospirosis laboratory to tackle food and waterborne diseases.
Health Minister Dr Atonio Lalabalavu states these new laboratories will boost the Ministry’s ability to detect, analyze, and respond to food and waterborne diseases such as typhoid, diarrheal illnesses and leptospirosis.
He adds that with improved testing capacity, advanced equipment, and trained staff, the turnaround time for detecting microbial, chemical, or toxin hazards will greatly improve.
Health Minister Dr Atonio Lalabalavu.
Dr Lalabalavu says these facilities will strengthen early outbreak detection and build resilient health systems in line with Fiji’s Health Adaptation Plan.
“The laboratory will serve all four divisions and integrate with our digital surveillance systems and the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System to ensure linkages between laboratory results and epidemiological response.”
Dr Lalabalavu adds that the current focus is to integrate the facility into national workflows, making it a key part of Fiji’s public health system.
The Regional Director of the WHO Western Pacific Region, Dr. Saia Ma’u Piukala, says laboratories like this are the backbone of public health.
“With KOICA’s investment of over US$650,000, the Fiji CDC has renovated its facilities, strengthened testing capacity, and equipped its teams with the tools and skills needed to protect public health.”
The Ministry of Health says the new laboratories will play a key role in detecting diseases early, improving medical services, and strengthening the overall public health system.
Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
