Fiji Based SI Graduate Share Testimony for Solomon Islanders to Have Hope Through This Pandemic
BY BARNABAS MANEBONA
It is going to be the ‘New Normal’.
This is one of many phrases referring to the current Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic situation.
Since the advent of Covid-19, ‘excess deaths’ has occurred. This includes affecting the health systems, economy of countries and global economy at large. Above all it has changed the past normal way of living and doing things.
For Solomon Islands, life has never been the same since the country first announced its community transmission of Covid-19 almost a month ago.
There have been divisions caused amongst communities and the government, for instance people having no confidence in the covid-19 vaccination based on conspiracy beliefs associated with negative attitudes. Also there are the situations of high prices, concerns of hunger and uncertainty towards the future.
With current situations, a Solomon Islands Government (SIG) graduate at Fiji, Mr Frank Kade from Ngella, Central Province, share his experience in relating on Covid-19 from Fiji, purposely to share hope, understanding and a positive message to Solomon Islanders.
As a testimony, Mr Kade share that Fiji despite being one of Pacific Island countries also facing challenges and difficulties fighting against Covid-19, the country has come out from hardships on this present day as most of restrictions have now been relaxed.
“Let me tell you about the testimony of Fiji where I am currently living. Fiji is one of the Pacific Island countries facing challenges, difficulties and hardship battling against Covid-19 in 2021. Fiji has recorded 63,398 cumulative cases since its outbreak in March 2020 and total deaths of 816. In the midst of this outbreak, there was still hope for Fiji that one day they will come out gloriously which finally took place on Monday 12:00am this week.
“Most of the Covid-19 restrictions have been relaxed except masking in public transports,” said Kade.
“Fellow Solomon Islanders, I want you to know, Fiji, once in this fight was badly affected as it may seem, the future for them was not foreseeable, the right of their children to education had been halted up for almost a year. People accessing public services were strictly monitored, tending to lose their right of freedom, yet they come out victoriously despite Covid-19 still around.
“One thing that keeps the spirit of the people of Fiji on a high note is their ‘SOLIDARITY’. Therefore, nothing is impossible about this for us Solomon Islanders as well. We can be able to suppress, reduce, mitigate and eliminate the spread of this virus when we stand in solidarity under the slogan ‘UMI TUGEDA AGAINST COVID-19’.
“Covid-19 can be seen as your enemy aiming to tear you down so that you will be left with nothing, but be reminded, you on the other hand have the greatest weapon to fight this enemy. Your weapon is your ‘mentality’.
“The moment you think negatively of yourself adding worry, fear and panic, surely you will forget your strategies to fight and certainly, you will be defeated.
“This is the least one can think of in a battle and that is to be defeated. So get up and stand on your feet and fight the virus with a positive mindset, a mindset of victory. Make sure you have a healthy mindset when seeing and dealing with Covid-19.
No matter how good something is, it will look wrong if you face it with negative thoughts.
Therefore, never ever lose hope, for you are stronger and greater than this virus. It will not defeat you because somebody like you is fully equipped with common sense to deal with it. Now is the time to activate your mental senses by doing what is best for you to fight and defeat this common enemy.
“Fellow Solomon Islanders, it is possible that Covid-19 is here to stay. Therefore, activate your personal response as a responsible citizen to fight this virus through Vaccine and public health measure approaches. Lest you forget, Fiji has becomes what it is now today due to its 98.1 percent [606,637] population 1st injection dose and 92.9 percent [574,450] 2nd injection dose to date. Vaccination works but it is not alone, it is fully working when you practice the Covid-19 safe measures.
“Finally, do not focus on how difficult this virus may be on your lives, have hope, there will be light for us to pass through this darkness. Our hope is in CHRIST JESUS.”
World Health Organization [WHO] declared Covid-19 as a Pandemic on March 11, 2020, stating that there is a high risk of the 2019 Coronavirus disease spreading to other countries around the world.
Countries around the world since then started taking actions to prepare and respond to the possibility of an outbreak of this Coronavirus.
“Solomon Islands for that matter recorded its first border case in late 2020. In 2021, we were mostly Covid-19 free and get to enjoy our daily activities until recently facing the brunt of community Transmission that we are currently dealing with.
“Now that we face this challenging or difficult situation, we can also claim that Covid-19 has also brought some positive changes with it,” said Kade.
Mr Kade was recently graduated with a Bachelor in Health Services Management at the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences (CMHNS) at Fiji National University (FNU). He is one of the many SIG students who are still stranded in Fiji under the pandemic as they are still waiting for their time to return home.
Solomon Islands to date since its Covid-19 community transmission has recorded 4,203 positive cases, new caees of 229, 50 related deaths, 51 in critical condition and 1, 054 recovery cases – those figures are COVID updates as of 10th February 2022.
Feature Photo Caption: Frank Kade
