Dr Losalini Tabakei, her colleagues, and they hiked for hours to reach Nakida village, high in Fiji's highlands. They crossed rivers, through forests and up steep ridges of bamboo forest.
The supplies, clothing, and medical equipment they needed to provide Covid-19 vaccinations to the isolated community of 60 people were transported separately by horseback. The vaccines were kept in refrigerated boxes while the rest were packed in plastic bags. The horses traveled along the river, which was a longer and flatter route.
Tabakei is a junior surgeon at CWM Hospital in Fijis capital, Suva. The team also included other doctors, nurses, consultants and registrars.
This country is currently battling a deadly Delta epidemic that has claimed more than 500 lives and more than 47,000 people infected, more than 5% of its population of approximately 900,000. The Pacific nation holds the dubious distinction of having the highest per capita rate of infection in the last month.
To administer Covid jabs, the health team trekked through Fijian's highlands. Losalini Tabakei/The Guardian
The group spent five hours on the trip that Nakida residents had promised would take no more than three hours.
She laughed and said that no one was mentally or physically ready. This is a week after she had completed rounds at Suva's hospital. They are forbidden to tell us how far it is because that would prolong the journey. They would reply, "We were almost there when it was about one-tenth of our journey."
The fact that they forgot to pack all of their snacks for the trip made their trip more difficult. One of their team members spotted the mistake and climbed a tree to pick the fruit and shared it with the other team members.
The team laughed and joked as they traveled, while chanting the catchphrase Reaching unreachable, leaving nobody behind. Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete was the country's health minister. This is a sign that Fiji has joined forces to immunise its entire population from Covid-19. This drive appears to be paying off with 95% receiving one dose and 45% receiving both.
The trek was accompanied by doctors. Dr Losalini Tabakei explains that the Nakidas villager were concerned about our safety.
Photograph by @stitchbaefj
Tabakei said that only 25 people needed to be vaccinated at Nakida. He also stated that the villagers were delighted to have the group.
She says they were concerned about our safety and had prepared a delicious dinner for us. After dinner and showers, and despite their tiredness, the medical team gave their awareness talk on Covid-19.
They were extremely open to visitors, and were happy to see us and that we made the effort to reach their village. Tabakei said.
They mentioned that they were already experiencing symptoms of Covid-19 a few weeks ago. We saw this in all of Naitasiri, despite the fact that it was removed. This reinforced our desire to go there and educate them, as well as vaccinate them.
Tabakei, along with the other health workers, visited approximately 20 villages in Naitasiri during that week. Their visits follow the same format: they perform cultural ceremonies and give an information talk about the virus. The team then swabs people with symptoms of Covid and provides vaccinations to those who request them.
Dr Tabakei (front), and her colleagues on the hike. Photograph by Losalini Tabakei/The Guardian
Tabakei states that the attitude of the chief of the village to vaccination is a major factor in how the group will be received and what their attitude towards the vaccine. The chief of villages who is positive will vaccinate 90-95% of the villager population. In villages where the chief has reservations, the number drops to 40-50%.
It's a good thing Tabakei's mother hails from Naitasiri and speaks the local dialect.
They are more reserved than the younger generations. Because they don't always have access information, they are more likely to be reserved. So when someone from the province comes into their village and says, "This is good for your village, this will help," they say, "OK, I will get my jab now."
