The Ministry of Health is making it a priority to make Meningococcal C vaccines available to the public.
The Ministry says that there are vaccines for the Meningococcal disease that has seen a recent breakout in the country.
The vaccines are Men‑C conjugate vaccine and quadrivalent ACWY vaccine.
The Health Ministry says that making the vaccine available is not a simple endeavour, and they are in urgent discussions with the government and development partners for the best strategy and actions to facilitate this going forward.
The Ministry states that one of the vaccines being considered is currently on the Australian National Immunisation Program Schedule and once the details of the vaccination strategy and actions are clear the Ministry will provide the public with more detailed information.
When questioned by Fijivillage on whether funding would be an issue to the availability of the vaccine, the Ministry says a national program for Meningococcal disease is a planning intensive and costly exercise, not just for developing countries like Fiji, but also in larger countries like Australia and New Zealand.
It says despite these challenges, the Ministry of Health is determined to do all it can to protect the people during this outbreak.
The Ministry says that identifying symptoms early and seeking urgent medical treatment at a health facility is critical, and will give a person the best chance of survival.
The Ministry states that Meningococcal disease can only be treated at a health facility with antibiotic medication specifically used for this disease and people with meningococcal disease will be admitted.
The Ministry says symptoms of meningococcal disease, especially for older children and adults include sudden fever, vomiting, headache, and stiff neck/backache.
It says other symptoms include, nausea, eyes become sensitive to light, confusion and a rash where red/purple spots are seen on the skin.
