SUVA, FIJI (2 March 2021) — “This timely donation will ensure increasing surveillance through our communities across Fiji and will boost confidence among our neighbors on the safety of our shore as a tourist destination going forward,” said Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr. Ifereimi Waqainabete. “I am very grateful to our donor partners for their esteemed effort in availing these test kits to the ministry.”
The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests are extremely accurate and work by quickly identifying the unique genetic profile of the COVID-19 virus. That will help build the capacity of the local health system to manage COVID-19 cases as well as limit transmission.
“As we move toward COVID-19 recovery, testing will become increasingly important and these testing kits are a vital tool to help stop the virus in its tracks,” said the Regional Director of ADB’s Pacific Subregional Office in Fiji Masayuki Tachiiri. “We will continue to work with our partners to help Pacific countries better respond to COVID-19.”
“These COVID-19 testing kits will support frontline health care workers in Fiji to safely provide services to the community to ensure that any potential cases are immediately detected,” said UNICEF Pacific Representative Sheldon Yett. “We thank ADB for the funding support to provide these tests to the Fijian COVID-19 response. We also appreciate the Government of Fiji’s leadership in strengthening the critical services that health care workers provide.”
ADB provided 20,000 of the test kits at a cost of $396,000, while UNICEF provided the remaining 2,220 at a cost of $43,000. The kits were financed through an ADB grant of $7.9 million to UNICEF to support Pacific Island countries in their preparedness and response plans for COVID-19 as well as UNICEF core resources.
