Natabua High School in Lau­toka remains committed to ensuring its support for the Ministry of Health and Medi­cal Services during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.

The Government school was the first in the country to be used as a COVID-19 containment centre and as an isolation centre since COVID-19 hit Fiji.

This was highlighted when Prime Minister Voreqe Bainima­rama visited to the school vicinity last week.

School principal Viren Sharma said the school and its staff were classed as pioneers among front­liners in Fiji’s battle with the coro­navirus pandemic.

Mr Sharma said most credit should be rendered to our medical professionals.

“We must remember that Na­tabua High School was one of the first to be used in the containment process. Although untrained for this, we did not step back and gave all possible support to the Min­istry of Health in terms of man­power, facilities and resources,” he said.

“Ours was the first isolation cen­tre to be activated in the country. We were also one of the first to be used both as an isolation centre and vaccination centre.”

He said even the cooks at the school were dedicated to cooking meals for COVID-19 patients.

Mr Sharma added that when the virus was at its peak, the staff members were even rostered to help out the health officials.

“We had staff members contract­ing the virus, being quarantined, losing loved ones. We lost our as­sistant principal and also one of our Year 13 students, but we never compromised on our duty,” Mr Sharma said.

“Our sign board says ‘Natabua High School – a Government school in Fiji’ and so, we tried our best so that our actions reflected the underlying statement of this signboard.”

He also acknowledged Mr Baini­marama for showing his selfless leadership to all citizens.