Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete visited an island just outside Rakiraki last week that has low vaccination rates.

Malake Island is one of a number of villages in Ra that was listed as having low vaccination on the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) low vaccination maps.

The minister was on the island on Friday with staff members from the Ra Sub-Divisional Hospital.

“Villagers of Malake in Ra were encouraged to get vaccinated this morning by the Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete,” read an MOH statement.

“Dr Waqainabete visited Malake Village and Malake Village School this morning to check their COVID-19 protocol compliance and also discuss burning health issues that villagers may have.”

The minister also discussed the need to have a health facility on the island with villagers having to take a 20-minute boat ride to the mainland if they needed medical care.