Hospitals are struggling with the growing threat of drug-resistant superbugs, worsened by deteriorating infrastructure, says Fiji Medical Association President Dr. Alipate Vakamocea.

The alarming rise of multi-drug resistant organisms, coupled with bed bug infestations, has raised serious concerns about patient safety, particularly at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital where aging facilities are failing to keep up with modern healthcare demands.

He says that poor infrastructure allows superbugs to persist and spread, creating additional risks in an already strained healthcare system.

“And we know that they get lodged in infrastructure. And so that’s some of the challenges that we’ve had with infrastructure. But again, government looks like they have a plan to this. But they need a lot more support.”

The government has launched plans to tackle these issues but Dr Vakamocea stated that more support is urgently needed to resolve the underlying problems and ensure the safety of patients.

He pointed out that the presence of superbugs and pests like bed bugs are indicative of larger infrastructure failures, with inadequate facilities making it harder to contain and control such health risks.

At the same time, poor sanitation in informal settlements is posing an increasing threat to public health.

The assessment Project Manager for the RISE project Autiko Tela highlighted that young children under five are particularly vulnerable to soil-transmitted helminths, a type of intestinal worm that can cause serious complications, including anemia.

“ The impact once the physical environment is healthy and the ecological environment becomes healthy, the impact of this is going to be seen or shown in the human health of those who are living in these informal settlements.”

Tela stressed the importance of managing wastewater properly in these communities to improve health outcomes and prevent the spread of diseases like helminths.

The RISE project, a partnership between Fiji National University and the Ministry of Health is working to address these sanitation challenges by improving infrastructure in informal settlements.

The initiative focuses on managing toilet and community wastewater, aiming to create healthier soil and water environments.

By improving sanitation, the project also seeks to restore ecological health, promoting the growth of plants and the return of important pollinators such as bees which will contribute to better overall health in these communities.