The 2024 Lancet Countdown Report on Health and Climate Change has highlighted Fiji’s growing vulnerability to infectious diseases, highlighting the urgent need for climate-resilient health systems and infrastructure.

According to the report, the suitability for dengue transmission has increased due to climate change.

The report states that for the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is a main carrier of dengue, the suitability went up by 18% while for the Aedes albopictus mosquito, it rose by 21 percent.

These increases, comparing the years 2013–2022 to 1951–1960, show how climate change is making health risks worse in the region.

According to the Lancet Countdown Report on Health and Climate Change c-author Roannie Ng Shiu, Fiji has witnessed an alarming increase in the climatic suitability for the transmission of dengue fever.

“There’s been an increased proliferation of vector-borne diseases where our data has shown that the suitability for dengue transmission by mosquitoes has increased by 33 percent.”

Shiu says the report warns that Fiji’s health systems remain underprepared for the compounded effects of climate change.

“Another key finding is the fact that our health systems are not climate ready and so there’s an urgent need for our governments and health systems to have the right infrastructure to identify and manage the growing climate-related risk of infectious disease transmission but also for surveillance systems and to integrate meteorological parameters within health.”

Health Minister Doctor Atonio Lalabalavu has acknowledged the growing challenges posed by climate change to the country’s health systems.

“So we’re playing catch-up, and, but at the same time, look, we’re very grateful for the support of our development partners. We’ve come on board and assisted us in this space.”

The report highlights the importance of integrating meteorological data into health surveillance systems to better anticipate and manage disease outbreaks.