The Health Ministry confirms that polio injections for babies are out of stock at the Nausori Health Centre and Suva Health Office at the Health Headquarters in Namosi House, while the Minister is stressing that the health centres should inform the Fiji Pharmaceutical Services if they are running out of stock.
Babies normally get this vaccination when they are 14 weeks old.
Some parents have raised concerns that they were turned away when they went to vaccinate their child for polio.
Polio, or poliomyelitis, is a disabling and life-threatening disease caused by the poliovirus. The virus spreads from person to person and can infect a person's spinal cord, causing paralysis.
When questioned by Legend FM News, the Nausori Health Centre first told us that they had the polio vaccination in stock.
However, when we told them that parents contacted us earlier this week, raising concern that their babies were not vaccinated because the nurses said that the polio injection is not in stock, the Ministry then said the injection is unavailable at Nausori Health Centre.
The parents also claim that the health centre had told them that the polio vaccine at the Government Pharmacy has passed it’s use by date. They were told that it is not known when the shipment will come.
The Ministry says the vaccination is expected to be in stock by next week.
When we contacted the Health Minister, Doctor Ifereimi Waqainabete, he said if the health centres are running out of any vaccines, they should place the order with the Fiji Pharmaceutical Services as they are the ones dealing with stocks.
We have also sent questions to the Health Ministry on whether other hospitals and health centres have stock of polio vaccines. They will respond soon.
