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Schools and health facilities will be given priority for water distribution in the Western Division as Fiji prepares for worsening water shortages amid the expected intensification of El Niño.
The Ministry of Health says it is working closely with the Commissioner Western’s office to ensure schools and health facilities receive water when shortages are identified.
Divisional Medical Officer West, Dr Abdul Wahab Shah, told FBC News that its teams are also visiting schools across the Western Division to check that students have access to adequate handwashing facilities.
Dr Shah warns that water shortages can make it difficult for households to maintain proper hygiene, increasing the risk of water-related illnesses.
“We are working very closely with Commissioner Western and his team in preparation for this El Nino and we work on the request from the Commissioner and of course the Commissioner has prioritised schools and health facilities for water distribution if there is any water issues they identify. We are also monitoring diseases in the division as well in terms of waterborne diseases or any other related diseases due to this event that we are experiencing.”
Dr Shah is therefore urging the public to maintain good personal hygiene, warning that compromised hygiene can increase the risk of disease.
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