New National Drinking Water Quality Committee set-up – Dr Waqainabete

A new National Drinking Water Quality Committee has been set up.

This was revealed by the Minister for Health, Doctor Ifereimi Waqainabete, while opening the Watershed Interventions for Systems Health in Fiji at the Holiday Inn in Suva.

He says cabinet has approved this and it is a clear example of the Government’s commitment to providing a legal platform to provide safe drinking water and ensure better preparedness and response to water-related disease outbreaks.

Dr Waqainabete says this new committee is important for health systems governance because it weaves human health and the environment in an explicitly linked legal framework.

He adds the findings presented at the end of this workshop should provide critical evidence for developing leptospirosis, typhoid and dengue fever preparedness plans and help inform policy development in other parts of the Pacific.

The Minister says they are encouraged by the progress made by WISH, supported by key Fijian ministries and partners, in establishing multi-sectoral planning and implementation of procedures to limit water-related disease in 5 water catchments and 29 communities across Fiji while also improving downstream ecosystem services.