It is encouraging to note that the Tamavua Twomey Hospital has officially opened its five-bed COVID-19 isolation facility valued at $176,000.
As our report on Page 2 points out, the project was funded by the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the Ministry of Health and Medical Services.
The isolated facility would allow for the admission of patients and provide specialist care should a patient test positive for COVID-19.
Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete said the facility played a critical role in health development in the country. Tamavua Twomey Hospital, he said, was the only one of its kind in the country. “COVID-19 and its many variants are here to stay for the foreseeable future.
While the vaccinations may control the outbreak, it will most likely stay within the community as an endemic infection,” he said.
“Therefore, the establishment of TTH COVID-19 isolation facility has been established keeping this in mind.
“With an in-house isolation ward, TTH can continue care for asymptomatic and mildly infected patients without compromising their specialised treatment.”
This is encouraging because it means we have a facility that is set up specifically to treat COVID-19. Understandably there would be questions asked of numbers though.
We are, however, encouraged by the fact that we finally have something in place and that should be a start.
But it does not take away the fact that we still have the virus amongst us. We still have people getting sick, and the threat of death will remain.
The fact that new variants are now evident in many parts of the world should force us to remain vigilant.
Early this month, CNN reported the global COVID-19 death toll surpassed 6 million, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Global daily deaths, it reported though, had been dropping quickly over the past month, down from about 11,000 a day in the second week of February to about 7000 a day by early March – one of the lowest rates reported over the past year. But the loss, it reported, was still immense, with about 1 million deaths recorded over the past four months.
About one in every 1300 people globally, it stated, has died of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, and experts have said official death tolls are likely an undercount.
It reported that World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted that it was “too early to declare victory” over COVID-19.
“Many countries are facing high rates of hospitalization and death. With high transmission, the threat of a new, more dangerous variant remains real. We urge all people to exercise caution and all governments to stay the course,” he was quoted saying.
Back on the homefront, we are reminded that while we now have an option to wear a face mask, we must remain vigilant.
Understandably, many Fijians will welcome the relaxing of rules, however, let’s be careful always, for our sake and for our loved ones. We cannot be too careful! Stay well and stay safe Fiji!
