The Northern Division of Fiji, despite having a smaller population than other regions, faces the highest burden of typhoid cases. This finding was shared by microbiology scientist Orisi Cabenatabua during his presentation at the Fiji Institute of Medical Laboratory Services Annual Convention, where he discussed current trends and vaccination efforts related to typhoid.
Cabenatabua noted that the endemicity rate of typhoid in the Northern Division exceeds the national average. He explained, “Fiji is endemic to typhoid, as we report numerous cases each year.” The lower number of cases in the North, compared to the Central and Western divisions, can be attributed to its smaller population of approximately 100,000 residents, in contrast to the Central Division’s population of around 600,000, which skews the endemicity rate.
The scientist pointed out that typhoid is prevalent across various subdivisions and age groups. He suggested that several factors, including sanitation access, hygiene practices, and climate change, may contribute to the higher impact of typhoid in the Northern Division. Cabenatabua particularly highlighted the increase in cases following cyclones, which often disrupt sanitation access.
To address this public health challenge, the Ty-Five project has been initiated to enhance the surveillance system for typhoid, incorporating both clinical tracking of hospital patients and environmental sampling for potential contamination sources. “We try to sample the environment to assess if there’s any Salmonella contamination,” he stated, noting that such contamination could play a significant role in disease transmission.
Cabenatabua also mentioned the recent 10-week vaccination campaign aimed at reducing typhoid cases, with early results showing a significant decrease. “If we compare the number of cases this October to last October, it’s less than half,” he reported.