Supported by WHO and many international and national partners, the Fijian Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MoHMS) has made significant progress addressing Cyclone Winston’s health impact on the estimated 350 000 people affected by the disaster. But six weeks after the powerful storm swept across Fiji, health responders continue to face challenges.
“The impact of Cyclone Winston will be felt for a long time,” said Dr Liu Yunguo, WHO Representative in Fiji. “WHO will continue to support the Ministry of Health and Medical Services for as long as it takes to restore health services for everyone in Fiji, and to build back an even better health system.”
The cyclone left 44 people dead, over 125 injured, and thousands without shelter, food and safe water. The MoHMS responded quickly providing trauma care to the injured, assessing and restoring health services where possible, communicating health advice to people at risk, and monitoring for disease outbreaks that can follow cyclones.
WHO contributions
WHO has supported MoHMS in a number of areas since before the cyclone struck, dedicating 41 staff to the response including 14 experts brought in from other offices and around the world. Over the last six weeks, WHO helped protect the health of those affected by:
- delivering emergency medical supplies to treat 20,000 people for three months;
- implementing a novel mobile phone-based early warning surveillance system in 34 surveillance sites that allows health authorities to identify and respond to disease outbreaks faster;
- donating 700 treatments for diarrhoeal disease;
- distributing 132,000 water purification tablets;
- assessing damages at 20 health facilities so the MoHMS can address service needs and plan repairs;
- training 15 MoHMS officials in assessing damages at other affected facilities; and
- leading a ‘train the trainer’ workshop for 30 mental health workers on how to provide psychosocial support to people affected by the disaster.
Ongoing challenges
The results of the support have been positive, but health challenges remain.
At least 88 of 214 health facilities were damaged, seven of them so badly that patients had to be relocated to get the health services they needed. WHO is supporting the MoMHS in a post-disaster needs assessment process that will inform long-term rebuilding efforts.
The risk of infectious disease outbreaks persists in many areas. Reports of acute fever and rash, suspected meningitis, measles, bloody diarrhoea, leptospirosis, and eye infections (conjunctivitis) have public health teams on high alert. WHO field epidemiologists are supporting the MoHMS in monitoring these reports.
Complicating matters is a major gap in financial support for the health response, which is limiting partners’ ability to help people in need. So far, only 40% of the US$ 5.8 million requested to support the health and nutrition components of the response has been committed. These funds are needed to cover urgent costs until June 2016.
The MoHMS has extended the State of Emergency for the areas severely affected by the cyclone until 19 April, 2016. WHO will continue to support the MoHMS through the response and recovery phase of the disaster and beyond.