Wednesday, April 18, 2007

The Real Survivor Fiji – Physical Disease Follows Political Disease

Bacteria, contamination, and a general breakdown of the attention to detail just may be the reason for outbreaks of illness and death on Fiji ... or maybe it is just a coincidence.

There is a reason that most all successful governments throughout the world are NOT military. The military may be good as a deterrent of outside forces taking over a government and a Nation State, but the military is almost never any good at caring for the people they were formed to protect. Quite frankly, it requires a different skill set.

Fiji suffers as a selfish (as opposed to serving) military governs.

Excerpts from The Sydney Morning Herald -

Three dead, scores ill in Fiji disease outbreak
Fairfax Digital - April 19, 2007 - 11:16AM

Three people have died and scores have become ill in outbreaks of typhoid and leptospirosis in Fiji

Acting director of Public Health in Fiji, Dr Josaia Samuela, said one person had died and 77 people had been confirmed with typhoid since the beginning of the year, most in recent weeks.

There has also been reports of two deaths and 22 confirmed cases of leptospirosis, a bacterial disease.

Samuela said no tourists had been reported ill with typhoid or leptospirosis, and the outbreaks appeared confined to rural areas where visitors were unlikely to go.

Samuela said a 32-year-old school teacher had died over the Easter weekend and several students had come down with typhoid, probably after a carrier contaminated food at a feast.

"There was probably a gathering, a feast, where food and water is shared. It was all of a sudden, when a group of people fell ill," Samuela said.

He said leptospirosis was normally transferred to people from dogs and rodents.
----
Australia yesterday expanded its warnings about travel to post-coup Fiji to cover outbreaks of typhoid and mumps.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says its overall message remains: "Exercise a high degree of caution when travelling in Fiji due to the volatile political and security situation following the military coup of December 5.

"The security situation remains uncertain and reactions to the coup could lead to violent clashes."

But the advisory now also adds: "An outbreak of typhoid has been reported in Fiji, affecting the areas around Natewa Bay and Buca Bay on Fiji's northern island of Vanua Levu.
----
Samuela said it was possible Cyclone Cliff, which tore through Vanua Levu on April 4 and affected water supplies, had worsened the situation.

He said carriers of typhoid were people who had completely recovered from the illness, but could spread infection for the rest of their lives if their urine or faeces contaminated food.
----
Samuela said people in Fiji were not vaccinated against mumps because of the cost of the inoculations, but there had been no jump in reported cases.

Symptoms of typhoid varied, but were often confused with influenza and could include a very high fever, headache, loss of appetite, weakness or a cough, he said.

Symptoms of leptospirosis can include high fever, severe headache, chills, muscle aches, vomiting, jaundice, red eyes, abdominal pain, diarrhoea or a rash.
Reference Here>>

So the person who is responsible for keeping track of the health and safety of the people who live and visit the island nation "feels people in Fiji were not vaccinated against mumps because of the cost of the inoculations".

We at MAXINE have this question - So just when does an occupying military have to take responsibility for its actions when the nation it is occupying is its own?

No comments:

"In Springfield: They're Eating The Dogs - They're Eating The Cats"

Inventiveness is always in the eye of the beholder. Here is a remade Dr. Seuss book cover graphic featuring stylized Trumpian hair posted at...