Port Vila, 8 September 2022: The Ministry of Health wish to update the public on the current situation of COVID-19 in the country and the appropriate public and social measures.
Press Releases
This week the Ministry of Health’s Mental Health Team is conducting Suicide Prevention Awareness in certain schools and communities in Sanma Province to commemorate world suicide prevention day which commemorated each year, 10 September.
The Ministry of Health would like to update on the Influenza-Like-Illness (ILI) cases in Vanuatu. From 1 to 7 August, the National Surveillance unit recorded 474 Influenza like Illness cases. The number of new cases decreased nationally by 47% from the previous week. Total suspected Influenza like Illness cases recorded is 9845; 38% from Sanma province, 30 % from Shefa Province, 12% from Penama Province, 8% from Tafea province, 7% from Torba province and 5% from Malampa Province. To date, nine (9) Cases has been hospitalised, all have underlying conditions.
12 August 2022, Port Vila, Manila, Geneva - Vanuatu has become the most recent country in the world and the first Pacific island country to eliminate trachoma, a neglected tropical disease (NTD) that can cause blindness. This will be the second NTD eliminated from this archipelago nation of 83 islands, after lymphatic filariasis in 2016.
The Honourable Bruno Leingkone, Minister of Health, and Australia’s High Commissioner to Vanuatu, Her Excellency Ms Heidi Bootle, travelled to Sanma Province this week to open a new Health Centre on Malo Island. Community leaders from Sanma province, including Member of Parliament for Malo and Aore constituency, Honourable Wesly Rasu, Chief John Vutilolo and senior officials from the Ministry of Health, including Director General, Russel Tamata, participated in the event.