Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete is worried about reports coming in from Seaqaqa in Macuata that there is a rise in acute febrile illnesses.
He made the remark after holding discussions with the staff of the Seaqaqa Health Centre during his tour of the Northern Division on Tuesday.
An acute febrile illness is an onset of fever, or raised temperature, whose cause is not clearly known.
“Specifically, I am worried about what they (staff) seem to think is a rise in acute febrile illness,” Dr Waqainabete said.
“When we have a rise in fevers in a certain community, we are worried about everything that can cause fever.” Dr Waqainabete said these fevers could be caused by COVID-19, leptospirosis, dengue, typhoid and any of the communicable diseases.
“I have asked our team at Seaqaqa Health Centre to do something in the next few days before I meet them again on Friday.”
Dr Waqainabete said it was now important for them to come up with a plan on how they would be able to do their outreach program in case of a disease outbreak.
“The thing about our health centres and subdivisional hospitals is we have to be very proactive.
“While we sit with our patients who come with sicknesses, we also have to get out of our comfort zones and go into the community and find the source of an illness and work with the community to control the source.
“Hopefully before I leave on Saturday, they will be able to give a feedback on what they are going to do.”
