Picture: Ministry staff serving in Lami area.
If there
is a positive to come out of this current predicament that Fiji has found
itself in, it is this, the humanity and solidarity of one’s fellow man has
shone through.
During
this second wave of the coronavirus outbreak, not only have Health workers
stood tall at the frontline, their civil servant brethren have stood right
there with them to help keep Fijians safe and sound from this highly
transmissible variant ofCOVID-19.
Stationed
at the Lami Emergency Operation Centre (LEOC) are civil servants from different
Government bodies who have sacrificed their time to selflessly lend a hand to
their Health counterparts.
Amongst
these civil servants are three officers from the Ministry of Agriculture, and
as they share their experience, they also tell of the misconceptions
surroundingCOVID-19 and talk about the small victories they have witnessed as
frontliners.
One of
them is Ms Silika Liliwaimanu Mataitoga, a Senior Technical Assistant (STA)
based at the Fiji Agriculture Chemistry Laboratory at Koronivia Research
Station said that she never really felt the true meaning of being a 'Civil
Servant' till her inclusion in the national COVID-19 operation.
“I got to
truly experience that as a civil servant, your life comes second to the people
that you serve, the people who place their trust in you, to the Fijian people
that we need to come through for, especially in their hour of need or for a
time such as this,” she said.
“Also
where the amount of empathy surpasses everything else, taking in all the fear,
the anxiety, the criticism and trying to reassure the public that we are trying
the best that we can to assist in whatever way we can, considering that this
COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented.”
The
Nawaikama, Gau in Lomaiviti lass with maternal links to Lomanikoro, Nakasaleka
in Kadavu plays a vital role at the Lami Command Centre and is a member of Team
Bravo.
Silika’s
role includes assisting Lami Command Centre (Reporting Team) to compile all the
summary reports sent in from all stations, such as fever clinic assistance,
mass screening, seedling distribution, food ration distribution, vaccination
team and public health awareness, collating and submitting daily situational
reports to the Commissioner Central Division’s Office.
From her
normal 8:00 am-4:30 pm job as an STA who commuted daily to and from Lami to
Koronivia, it never occurred to Silivia that she would one day be part of a
mammoth operation.
“I never
dreamt I would be part of something like this and it delights me to be a part
of an operation where we are fighting against an unknown enemy that is causing
terror and wreaking havoc in its wake to many of our beloved citizens,
irrespective of age, gender and creed,” she said.
“But I
believe that nothing happens without God’s hand in it and that, despite the
unfathomable task at hand, that no one dreamt would happen, its either we can
work together in eradicating this pandemic from our shores, or live in
symbiosis with it and treating it as the normal flu as most developed countries
are now trying to, especially through the use of vaccination.”
Another
officer who has been serving in the Ministry of Agriculture for 7 years in the
Brucellosis Tuberculosis Eradication Campaign (BTEC) based in Koronivia, Mr.
Filimoni Sabe is not a stranger to the use of Personal Protective Equipment
(PPE).
“It is
part of our daily work at the Veterinary Laboratory in Koronivia that we wear
PPE, practice basic health hygiene, planning of surveillance and fieldwork when
dealing with livestock, I was used to it but the only difference is this
involves human beings,” he said.
The young
man from Naruwai, Bua who has maternal links to Lutu, Wainimala in Naitasiri is
the team leader for Team Alpha at the LEOC in-charge of Vaccination Drive in
the Lami Zone.
“I thank
the Almighty Father for this opportunity to serve as a civil servant in this
crisis and for his protection over the team during this operation,” said
Fili.
“During
the operation, it is the feeling that you have in making a difference in your
society by minimizing the risks of the spread of COVID-19 that is fulfilling
and satisfying,” he said.
“At the
end of the day I feel proud, happy, encouraged, satisfied and emotional at
times and what worries me is that I can also be a carrier of the virus to my
family members at home, and because of that I always practice the necessary
precaution to prevent it from being transmitted to my home.”
Fili and his
Alpha team at LEOC begin their day as early as 6 am and knock off late at
night. They have also experienced varying reactions from the public, braving
the unpredictable conditions of places to reach homes, residents and
communities in the vicinity of Lami.
“Getting
people in the greater Lami area safeguarded from this pandemic through the team
is overwhelming and I must thank them for their sacrifices and their time in
carrying out the work and I wish them safety and good health,” said Fili.
Meanwhile
for Elaine Matasuka, who is a mother of 3 from Lomanikoro in Bau and is based
at the Animal Health and Production Division (AH&P) of the Ministry at Toa
Street in Vatuwaqa, being a part of the LEOC team since the lockdown has been a
fulfilling journey.
“I am
thankful to the Ministry of Agriculture for giving me the opportunity to do my
civic duty and be part of the Ministry of Health’s effort in conducting
awareness programme, screening & vaccination registration to the
communities and business houses in the greater Lami area,” she said.
Elaine,
who has been living in Lami for the past 23 years feels a sense of pride as she
sets about helping others and she wants to do everything in her power to make
sure that people are taken care of and protected from this virus.
“Being a
mother I am able to multi-task with my duties at home while also working with
the Health team and other civil servants but I have to ensure that I abide by
the COVID-19 guidelines when I am out in the field because at the end of the
day I will return to my family,” said Elaine.
Elaine
has also had her share of walking to areas with different terrain to conduct
awareness and screening, distribute vegetable seeds to families and has met
people from different walks of life, and communities who also express their
different reactions upon meeting her team.
“During
all these visits, we have received different reactions from people, some are
interested individuals whereas some are not so welcoming citizens, some were
not interested in our awareness and vaccination program, which is sad,” she
said.
“I have
experienced customer relations at AH&P for the past 30 years and being the
first point of contact I assist and direct customers to what they require and I
was able to do the same during the operation.”
The Lami
Emergency Operation Centre has a total of 72 personnel from the Ministry of
Fisheries, Infrastructure and Meteorological Services, Lands and Mineral
Resources, Agriculture, Health and Medical Services, Women, Children and
Poverty Alleviation, Education, Heritage & Arts, Rural and Maritime
Development, Housing, Communication and Information, the Republic of Fiji
Military Force, the Fiji Police Force, Fiji Corrections Service, Lami Town
Council and the Reproductive and Family Health Association of Fiji together
make up the two Alpha and Bravo teams.
-Ends-