Dialogue Fiji Raises Concern Over CDC Silence Amid Nipah Virus Threat

Dialogue Fiji has raised serious concerns over what it describes as the lack of visible action and public communication by Fiji’s Centre for Disease Control (CDC) amid renewed outbreaks of the deadly Nipah virus in parts of Asia.

The civil society organisation said confirmed Nipah cases in countries such as India, Bangladesh and China — and the reintroduction of airport health checks in the region — highlight the need for stronger surveillance and public awareness in Fiji. Nipah is listed by the World Health Organization as a priority pathogen with pandemic potential and can have fatality rates of up to 75 percent.

Dialogue Fiji Executive Director Nilesh Lal questioned why Fiji’s CDC does not issue regular public advisories or maintain basic online platforms to inform citizens, warning that the absence of visible preparedness, border health measures and transparent reporting could leave Fiji vulnerable to a serious public health crisis.

Dialogue Fiji is calling on the Ministry of Health and the Government to urgently strengthen the CDC, improve disease surveillance, and communicate health risks clearly to the public to avoid repeating mistakes seen during past outbreaks.