Bala raises Ba dengue death in bill talks

While questioning Ministry of Education officials over outbreak response provisions in the Public Health Amendment Bill 2026 Opposition MP Parveen Bala cited the death of a Xavier College student in Ba during a dengue outbreak.

Mr Bala raised the case before the Standing Committee on Social Affairs on Wednesday.

This was after hearing submissions from Ministry of Education representatives Akuila Raibe and Inoke Raikoso, alongside Ministry of Health National WASH coordinator Toga Vosataki.

“There’s a lot of blame game when this outbreak happens,” Mr Bala said.

“One student died in Ba, Xavier College, you all are aware, when there was a dengue outbreak.

“So the blame game was that who is supposed to collect the rubbish, whether it’s council, Ministry of Health or school. But who suffers?”

Mr Vosataki said the matter required collaboration between ministries, adding the Ministry of Education’s own outbreak response plan was “a very good submission” that could link schools to subdivisional and divisional outbreak response teams.

“Not only in dealing with outbreaks, but even in times of preparedness or prevention stages, in order to prevent such a very sad ordeal as encountered by the people of Ba in that instance,” he said.

The Ministry of Education had recommended developing a standard outbreak response plan for all schools and conducting annual awareness training, noting most schools currently relied on informal emergency procedures.

The bill, before Parliament since colonial-era laws dating back to 1935, is expected to be reported on by the committee soon.

Feedback: kaneta.naimatau@fijisun.com.fj