The Northern Division of Fiji, despite having a smaller population than other regions, has emerged as the area with the highest incidence of typhoid. This finding was shared by microbiology scientist Orisi Cabenatabua during his presentation at the Fiji Institute of Medical Laboratory Services (FIMLS) Annual Convention, where he discussed current trends in typhoid and vaccination efforts.
Mr. Cabenatabua noted that the endemicity rate for typhoid in the Northern Division surpasses the national average. He stated, “Fiji is endemic to typhoid in the sense that we record a lot of cases each year.” Although the Northern Division’s number of cases is lower than those in the Central and Western divisions, this is primarily due to its smaller population of about 100,000 people, compared to approximately 600,000 in the Central Division, which skews the overall endemicity rate.
The scientist emphasized that typhoid cases are prevalent across all subdivisions and age groups. He suggested several potential factors contributing to the higher rates in the North, including limited access to sanitation and hygiene, as well as the impacts of climate change. He observed an increase in typhoid cases following cyclones, attributing this to the disruption of sanitation facilities during such events.
Mr. Cabenatabua highlighted the need for deeper investigation into these issues. To address the disease, the Ty-Five project has been initiated, aimed at enhancing the existing surveillance system. This entails both clinical surveillance—monitoring patients visiting hospitals—and environmental sampling to identify potential contamination sources.
“We try to sample the environment and see if there’s environmental contamination of salmonella,” he explained, emphasizing that such contamination could play a crucial role in the transmission of typhoid.
He also mentioned a recent 10-week vaccination campaign, which is currently being evaluated for its effectiveness. Comparing the data from October this year to the same period last year, he reported a reduction of more than half in the number of cases.