The Pacific Community (SPC) has provided the Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) with 20,000 hand washing posters in support of its efforts to mitigate COVID-19 transmission.

Risk communication is an integral part of the Fiji MHMS strategies. Handwashing was emphasized and strongly encouraged through mass public awareness since the first confirmed COVID-19 case was detected.

The hand washing posters will support Fiji’s efforts to establish a “new normal” environment where individuals are encouraged to adopt long-lasting behaviours to contain the new coronavirus and other disease agent transmission.

Ms Sharon Kellman Yett, risk communication adviser based in Fiji MHMS, said “The posters are being distributed to the main hospitals and health facilities in subdivisions, subdivision offices, schools, and health offices. They will be used for outreach activities within the COVID-19 response, and also to address other communicable diseases like influenza or typhoid fever - And truthfully, to promote good health overall.”

 “We all have the responsibility to help prevent the spread of infections to our loved ones and to people around us by simply washing our hands with soap and water or by using a hand sanitizer. It’s one of the simplest measures that everyone can do to keep infections like the COVID-19 virus away,” said Margaret Leong, SPC’s Infection Prevention and Control Adviser.

“We hope that these posters will help the Fiji MHMS in its important effort to respond to COVID-19 cases and contain the spread of the virus,” she added.

The printing of the posters was made possible through the support of the European Union (EU).

SPC, together with the World Health Organization and other regional partners, is supporting Pacific Island countries and territories preparedness and response to COVID-19 through the provision of technical advice, tools and equipment on infection prevention and control, risk communication, public health surveillance, laboratory and clinical services.

More information on SPC work for COVID-19 in the Pacific can be found here.