Around 560 field latrines have been installed in villages and settlements within Vanua Levu to eradicate the spread of dengue, diarrhoea, leptospirosis and typhoid, according to the Health Ministry.

The ministry said in a statement that Macuata had the highest number of field latrines installed of 250, Bua was 120 and Cakaudrove had 190.

Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete said during his visit of the Northern Division that the project was to raise awareness on basic sanitation in the community and villages.

“We all know that cleanliness is an important factor in maintaining our health, and I am pleased that our officers’ advice has been heeded and taken seriously by communities that experienced outbreaks of typhoid and dengue,” he said.

“The thing about our health centres and divisional hospitals is that we have to be proactive.

“We have to go out to the communities and find the sources of diseases and work with the community to control the source.

“It is important that we are focusing on leptospirosis, typhoid, and dengue (LTD) because LTDs have caused the deaths of our young people. Though we also focus on non-communicable diseases, we realise that most of those people have them in their 40s and 50s while people as young as infants have died from these diseases.”

Eight communities were also assisted with water to ensure better water supply and prevent disease outbreaks including typhoid and other water-borne diseases.

Both projects are part of the WASH program.