SUVA, FIJI 15 June 2022 – Today, UNICEF and the United States Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID),
have handed over essential health equipment to the Fijian Ministry of Health and Medical Services to support gaps in the
continuing COVID-19 preparedness and response efforts.
“These medical supplies and equipment will be distributed to all health care facilities around the country which will,
in a way, contribute to the improvement of health care for Fijians,” said the Hon. Minister for Health and Medical
Services Dr. Ifereimi Waqainabete. “Our nation is currently on the road to social, health and economic recovery after
COVID-19 and we acknowledge this generous support, for without it, we would not be travelling this recovery path.”
This health equipment will benefit more than 600,000 Fijians in the country, including 3,000 healthcare workers. The
equipment includes items such as vaccine refrigerators, GeneXpert machines, tents, temperature loggers and swabs as well
as personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, gowns, and aprons.
“The United States is proud of the partnership we have built with the Ministry of Health to respond to COVID-19 in Fiji.
We believe that this collaboration was critical to the efforts to combat COVID -19 and will pave the way to building a
stronger, more resilient nation that is ready to face future challenges,” said the Deputy Chief of Mission, Rebecca
Owen.
The cold chain equipment handed over today will significantly strengthen the national cold chain capacity to manage
COVID-19 vaccines, such as Moderna, at -15C to -25C. They will also enable the freezing of water packs to transport the
vaccines. In addition, the solar-powered combined refrigerator and freezer will allow for storage of vaccines at +2C to
+8C in the areas without any electricity, or where there is less than eight hours of reliable electricity a day.
“Proper storage of COVID-19 vaccines enables a longer shelf-life, so UNICEF is pleased to partner with the United States
Government to fill this gap,” said UNICEF Pacific Representative, Jonathan Veitch. “The PPE is also invaluable because
while vaccines provide protection, they alone cannot eliminate transmission.”
The Fijian Ministry of Health and Medical Services continues to rely on PPE to protect healthcare workers, particularly
in areas with low vaccination coverage. Without the proper combination of PPEs, frontline healthcare workers run the
risk of contracting COVID-19 and potentially spreading it to their families as well as within their communities.
The PPE will be distributed to over 190 vaccination points within primary healthcare facilities in Fiji to support
infection prevention control for healthcare workers during immunization sessions. UNICEF will continue to provide
on-the-ground support, under the leadership of the Fijian Ministry of Health and Medical Services, to ensure that
communities and healthcare workers are protected.