The newly renovated water laboratory and newly established food and leptospirosis laboratories were officially opened at the Fiji Centre for Communicable Disease Control (CDC) in Suva, following major renovations, equipment upgrades and staff training on new equipment and techniques.
Food and water testing is critical for protecting public health as timely detection helps prevent and control the spread of foodborne and waterborne illnesses. This opening means faster detection which in turn means fewer people get sick thanks to increased testing capacity for climate-sensitive diseases like diarrhoeal illnesses and leptospirosis.
Laboratory investments of over US$ 650 000 to date have been completed under the Strengthening Health Adaptation Project: Responding to Climate Change in Fiji (SHAPE Project), a multi-year initiative funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and implemented in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS).
These investments will result in:
- Faster testing times, with the facility able to process up to 3000 food or water samples per year for bacteria, chemicals, and climate-sensitive diseases like leptospirosis.
- Reduced turnaround time from approximately 3 months to 3 weeks for detection and diagnosis of leptospirosis.
- More types of pathogens – germs, viruses, bacteria – that can be tested for in Fiji.
- A digitized surveillance system – the Fiji National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (NNDSS) – to ensure faster, evidence-based decisions, leading to stronger disease surveillance, more targeted disease outbreak response, and improved health outcomes for communities.
- Specialized skills built through Fiji CDC personnel having completed advanced training in leptospirosis diagnostics at the Institute Pasteur New Caledonia (IPNC) and microbiological testing of food and water at the Doherty Institute in Melbourne, Australia. Additionally, the upskilling of over 90 MHMS staff to use the newly digitized NNDSS and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
- Renovations to improve structure and working environments to continue providing essential laboratory services that are safer, more efficient, and better able to withstand the impacts of climate change.
“Through this partnership with KOICA and the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, WHO is helping ensure that Fiji’s health system can respond quickly and effectively to the health challenges of a fast-changing climate. Stronger laboratories are at the heart of safeguarding public health. Investments made in laboratory capacity and well-trained personnel mean stronger protection for communities when floods, storms, or heat bring greater risks of disease,” remarked Dr Saia Ma'u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, as he attended the opening ceremony.
“This investment aligns with Fiji’s Health Adaptation Plan and the drive toward resilient health systems, particularly in the face of climate-sensitive threats. Safe food and reliable water supply are fundamental to public health and national development. This laboratory will strengthen our capacity to detect, analyse and respond to food- and water-borne risks, including typhoid, diarrhoeal illness and leptospirosis,” shared Hon. Ratu Dr Atonio Rabici Lalabalavu, Fiji’s Minister of Health and Medical Services (MHMS).
“By supporting the establishment of laboratories like this – we are strengthening the very foundation of quality healthcare for all Fijians. This contribution reflects our shared commitment to building a resilient health system. A system that delivers reliable services, responds to new challenges, and ensures that every Fijian, no matter where they live, has access to safe and high-quality care,” stated Ms Hankyulsam Cho, Fiji Country Director, Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
The lasting impacts of the SHAPE Project
In addition to renovating the CDC food and water lab, and providing equipment upgrades, the SHAPE Project is also strengthening other pillars of a climate-resilient health system, including health facility resilience, workforce capacity, and community adaptationi.
Fiji, like many Pacific island nations, faces growing health challenges from climate change. Stronger cyclones, rising temperatures, and flooding can damage health facilities, increase the likelihood of disease, disrupt essential services, and put health workers and patients at risk.
Investing in a climate-resilient health system keeps people safe and healthy, even when the weather and climate are changing. It means the health facilities and health workers are more equipped to handle problems caused by threats like stronger storms, hotter days, floods, or diseases that come with climate change.
The SHAPE Project is strengthening Fiji’s climate-resilient health system in several ways:
- Renovating 5 health facilities to improve their ability to withstand extreme weather, reduce the risk of power outages, and protect vital medical equipment.
- Installing solar power in 18 health care facilities nationwide to reduce their environmental footprint and support continuous service delivery.
- Training more than 600 health workers across Fiji on managing health risks linked to climate change, ensuring communities are better protected from climate-sensitive diseases and emergencies.
- Training around 193 community members in four communities in Fiji’s four Divisions, to ensure communities understand and can adapt to the impacts of climate change.
- Ensuring that almost all (97%) of Fiji’s health facilities have completed a Climate Hazard and Vulnerability Assessment (CHVA), which provides the necessary information for the MHMS to prioritize support for communities and facilities at greater risk of climate change impacts.
- Enhancing preparedness of the health sector and other government and civil society stakeholders regarding the health impacts of climate change through Fiji’s Health Adaptation Plan which was launched at COP29 in November 2024.
Alongside these investments, the opening of the newly renovated water laboratory and newly established food and leptospirosis laboratories shows how the SHAPE Project is delivering real, lasting impacts. Together, these efforts go a long way towards safeguarding health today while preparing Fiji for a safer, more resilient future.
More on the topic
To learn more about climate resilient health systems visit the WHO webpage.
WHO collaborates with governments and partners to:
- prepare for and reduce the health impacts of climate change through building capacity
- conducting vulnerability and adaptation assessments (V&As)
- supporting the development and implementation of strategies like Health-National Adaptation Plans (H-NAPs)
- strengthening climate resilience and promoting low-carbon health systems.
Read the feature story on KOICA SHAPE laboratory capacity building.
Note to editors
Fiji MHMS
More information about the Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services.
WHO
Working with 194 Member States across 6 regions, WHO is the United Nations specialized agency responsible for public health. The Division of Pacific Technical Support (DPS) in Suva, Fiji – which falls under the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific – provides tailored technical support and backstopping to 21 Pacific island countries and areas.