The Ministry of Health will be carrying out a mass vaccination campaign in July and August in the Northern Division with the support of the Ty-FIVE consortium to combat typhoid.
This comes after a total of 78 typhoid cases – with one death and four severe cases recorded last year in the North.
A press statement yesterday said vaccination using a single dose of the Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine – commonly known as the “TCV” – will be available for all individuals, Fijians, and non-Fijians, from nine months to 65 years of age.
Vaccination will take place in all four subdivisions in the North and their respective medical areas.
There will be mobile teams moving through schools, workplaces and communities, and fixed teams who will be based at the nearest health facilities.
The vaccination campaign is aimed to start on July 4 and will last about eight weeks.
For registrations, adults are encouraged to bring their valid photo ID and their COVID-19 vaccination card. Children are advised to bring their birth certificate if they wish to get their vaccination outside school.
For babies above nine months of age, parents are to bring the Maternal Child Health (MCH) card as well as their IDs to confirm relationship.
For Non-Fijian citizens, passports and work permits are required.
Typhoid fever is a febrile illness caused by Salmonella Typhi through contaminated food and water.
Symptoms of typhoid usually begin six to 30 days after exposure, which are high fever, and any of the following – chills, loss of appetite, stomachache, diarrhoea or constipation, cough, headache and rose spots.
Typhoid is a life-threatening infection if left untreated or inadequately treated, possibly leading to internal bleeding or perforation in the digestive system.
