A team of logistic officers have been deployed to the Northern Division with supplies to mitigate the risk of disease outbreak following TC Yasa.

Ministry for Health Permanent Secretary Dr James Fong says the risk of leptospirosis, diarrhea, typhoid and dengue fever outbreak is high as these diseases are common after a natural disaster.

Dr Fong confirmed to FBC News that Forward Planning Centers have been set up in some hotspot areas in Vanua Levu.

The Permanent Secretary says another health program is underway where the health inspectors are overseeing source reduction measures which needs to be undertaken.

“We would want people to work with the COVID safe measure’s because the COVID safe measures do help in reducing most infectious diseases. There is also a need to have appropriate footwear during this time, closed shoes, so that you could avoid leptospirosis and that we have to have other source reduction measures which means we have to try and get to find any still water , tires need to be turned over and yards need to cleaned to reduce the population of mosquitoes.”

Dr Fong adds they have also deployed a team of doctors and nurses to assist in controlling the outbreak.

On the infrastructure, Dr Fong says a team is currently on the ground to assess the damage caused to the health facilities.

“There are other few facilities that are quite severely damaged. They are functional, they can provide the service but there is certain parts of the things that have broken down in terms of the walls. We also have to look at our other things like our solar panels that needs to be replaced. We do have to provide some cover for our some of the backup generators.”

He adds the reports received so far indicate extensive damage to the health facility on Kia Island.

He adds a team trying to assess the cost of damage to the infrastructures.

Dr Fong says they are trying to get the team to provide them with a report so that they are able to figure out the costs for repairs and mobilize finance from minor works allocation towards the facilities which have been damaged.