The Ministry of Health is taking strict action against those who don’t adhere to the advice of clearing up mosquito breeding places.
National Advisor Environmental Health, Dip Chand says their officers are currently in the Western Division and are working closely with Fijians to ensure they keep their environment clean.
“We are advising people to get rid of the breeding grounds and we come back after seven days and if they’re not doing it, we are serving them notices and even we are prosecuting them now. Time has come up now, that if people don’t listen we prosecute them. At the moment as we speak, from last month our whole medical team is moving into the field, they’re on the ground, they’re talking to the people, they’re empowering them, they’re teaching them and at the same time if they don’t listen we are litigating. We are charging people for breach of public health act in terms of providing breeding places for mosquitoes.”
Acting National Advisor for Communicable Disease, Dr. Aalisha Sahukhan says there’s also a surge capacity assessment in the West which is looking to see if the division has the resources to deal with more dengue cases.
The Health Ministry says the elimination of mosquito breeding places needs to become a routine activity for all Fijians and is urging people to clear blocked drains, containers and keep their environment clean.
Fijians are advised to seek medical attention if they start to suffer from dengue fever symptoms like severe headache, joint pains, muscle pains, continuous vomiting, tiredness, skin rash, bleeding gums, fast breathing, and pain behind the eye socket.
