FNU joins hands with Ministry of Health to support Typhoid Vaccination Campaign in the North

To combat the increasing typhoid rate in Fiji, the Fiji National University has joined forces with the Ministry of Health to support a Typhoid Vaccination Campaign in the Northern division.

FNU says the two-day vaccination campaign will begin tomorrow at the Naduna Campus, in Labasa and will be followed by a session at the Labasa Town Campus on Thursday.

FNU says the campaign is part of the Typhoid in Fiji – Vaccination towards Elimination (TyFIVE) project, which is led by the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) in collaboration with renowned research institutions such as the Peter Doherty Institute and Murdoch Children’s Research Institute.

General Practitioner at FNU’s UniClinic, Dr Henry Waqa says reducing the risk of typhoid transmission alleviates the personal, community, healthcare, and economic burden that this disease places on the country.

He says by building immunity through vaccination, it can create herd immunity, making it significantly more difficult for the infection to spread.

Dr Waqa says early detection is crucial, and awareness of symptoms - such as high fevers, abdominal pain, and gastrointestinal disturbances - can significantly improve outcomes.

He says the vaccine is given as a single dose and offers protection of up to three to four years in both children and adults, and booster shots will be needed after that for people who remain at risk or for those travelling to a risk area

To enhance convenience, the Ministry of Health’s vaccination team has been requested to operate alongside FNU's UniClinic Wellness, HIV and STI screenings.

The vaccine being administered during this campaign is the typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV), Typbar-TCV, which is the first of its kind to be prequalified and recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

FNU’s Head of Campus in Labasa, Taraivini Raiula says while typhoid is treatable, prevention via vaccination offers a safe and sustainable solution and awareness of symptoms and the importance of timely medical attention can help prevent severe complications.

The campaign will include mobile vaccination teams, community outreach programs, and educational sessions to ensure widespread participation.

Residents of Northern division are encouraged to take advantage of the free vaccination initiative and work together to prevent the spread of typhoid fever.