Fiji Mulls Stockpiling Bird Flu Anti-Virals

Text of report by Fiji newspaper Fiji Times website on 23 November

The government is yet to decide whether to stockpile 495m dollars’ [approx 285m US] worth of avian bird flu anti-viral drugs after the World Health Organization declared a Phase Three alert over the virus. Phase Three means the virus can now be transmitted from animals to humans, the Health Ministry said.

Director Public Health Timaima Tuiketei said cabinet discussed stockpiling anti-viral drugs yesterday.

Dr Tuiketei told a Health Ministry influenza pandemic stakeholders’ meeting yesterday the 495m dollars cost of drugs was based on a WHO projection that 30 per cent of Fiji’s 875,000 people would catch the virus if it landed here.

The projection estimated 5 per cent (13,125 of the 262,500 people affected) could die from bird flu.

“The objective for stakeholders in drawing up on influenza response plans is to minimize impact on human lives, the economic situation and social disruptions,” Dr Tuiketei said.

The bird flu anti-viral drug cost about 90 dollars per person and the stockpiling policy featured prominently among speakers at the stakeholders’ meeting yesterday.

Dr Tuiketei said the bird flu was an airborne disease. The movement of people in and around the country would be severely restricted if Fiji’s response plans for bird flu were activated.

The stakeholders’ meeting discussed emergency responses, including the closure of schools, disruption of essential services like aeroplanes and land transportation and the biggest mobilization of health and medical workers yet seen here.

“There are specifics we need to address and these have been identified by stakeholders where they mark their responsibilities and come up with response frameworks,” Dr Tuiketei said.