Lami Village in Fiji where residents are still in lockdown as of July 6, as the Covid-19 pandemic rages across the Pacific Island nation. Photo / Fiji Government
Lami Village in Fiji where residents are still in lockdown as of July 6, as the Covid-19 pandemic rages across the Pacific Island nation. Photo / Fiji Government
Fiji is in the midst of a major Covid-19 outbreak and they need New Zealand's help more than ever to flatten the curve.
The country's record number of Covid-19 infections on Tuesday - 636 new cases of the virus and six further deaths - took its confirmed number of coronavirus cases to 7149 and the death toll to 39.
Kiwi couple Jackie and Todd Scott moved to Fiji earlier this year, just four days before the country's first community Covid case.
"I am very passionate about the place and the people ... Fiji has always been a second home to us," said Todd.
Todd believes that the Fijian military is solely to blame for the outbreak of Covid-19 in the country.
"The military became very complacent when it came to the security measures of MIQ ... I feel they failed the country," he said.
Jackie and Todd, in collaboration with Fiji company Grow Together, have set up a Givealittle page to help fund organic gardens for the villages of Fiji.
The purpose of the organic gardens is "so villages can grow vegetables and herbs to use and sell" as there is currently no social welfare, meaning no money.
"It's an initiative that Grow Together have been wanting to launch for a while ... we just thought we could help," said Todd.
The couple devotes every spare minute to running the project, which received more than $8500 in donations in the first 24 hours of being set up, raising enough money for at least six gardens.
The Scotts recognised the importance of putting a hand up, instead of urging New Zealanders to "just give a little".
New Zealand organisation Save the Children launched an emergency appeal for Fiji a few weeks ago which has since raised more than $130,000.
Vaccine registration at Viti Levu in Fiji administered by the Red Cross. Photo / Supplied
"Our initial desired amount was $50,000 but there was such a big reaction from New Zealanders that we decided to keep it going ... There is so much more that needs to be done," chief executive Heidi Coetzee said.
The funding has gone towards "packs containing much-needed food supplies, soap, surgical masks, nappies and sanitary pads".
"Enough money has been raised to provide 1800 Fijian families with food bags, but this will only last them two weeks ... We urge people to get online and donate," said Coetzee.
Meanwhile, New Zealand doctors, nurses and medical staff are being canvassed about their availability to deploy to Fiji as the Covid-19 crisis worsens.
There are already two New Zealand anaesthetists on the ground in Fiji - their skills mean they are able to operate ventilators.
But an email has now been circulated from the Ministry of Health's Pacific medical assistance team (NZmat) asking if more surgical theatre personnel would be prepared to go.
It asks about their availability over the next one to four months to deploy "to a country that may have a Covid-19 outbreak or Covid cases in the community" for up to eight weeks at a time.
Fiji is the only country in the NZmat zone with a community outbreak.
If you would like to donate to either causes, the links to their pages are below:
