Close to 8,000 individuals signed up online when Fiji’s Ministry of Health opened up vaccine registration to the public yesterday.
Head of Fiji’s Vaccine Taskforce Dr Rachel Devi is urging all eligible individuals, aged 18 years and above, to register either via the online platform or via the soon-to-be rolled out face-to-face registration, before 30 April 2021.
“We trying to do that for all. So we’re trying to keep that as a benchmark like Dr Fong mentioned reasons being is so that we are efficient in our process of making sure all are registered,” Dr Rachel said regarding the 30 April registration cut-off date.
“And when it comes to vaccination, we obviously enter the data accordingly, and then the credibility of that data the back end is important in terms of the vaccine passport that we’ve been talking about. So that’s why we really wanting to push for that period.”
For registration purposes, eligible individuals aged 18 years and above are advised to carry with them a valid photo ID as well as their birth registration number if they are born in Fiji or citizenship certificate number, if they hold dual citizenship in Fiji.
Registration is carried out two ways – online via the platform on Ministry of Health website and face-to-face at “health facilities around the country, communities, high-flow traffic areas and high-populated areas in towns, cities and communities.”
Later this week, the Ministry will also be pushing out the same and more information, as they come to hand, on the registration and vaccine roll-out via SMS and such “so that it made known to all, and what they need in terms of getting registration.”
Information/Documentation Required for Registration
- Valid photo ID
- Birth Registration Number (BRN) or Citizen Certificate Number
- Online and Face-to-Face registration closes on 30 April 2021
Who can register?
– Anyone who is aged 18 years and above
Access to BRN without the need to print birth certificates
MOH is working with the Births, Deaths and Marriage department to allow Fijians ease of acquiring their birth registration numbers thus avoiding additional costs of having to print out birth certificates.
Dr Rachel Devi said: We’re working very closely with the BDM, and likely with Post Fiji as well in, allowing Fijian citizens out there to go to the sites that the BDM offices or Post Fiji, in the near future as we confirm finer details, and allowing them to just do that birth registration number search.”
“It avoids the cost in terms of printing out a birth registration or birth certificate. So because we’re mindful that we don’t want to tag any cost in terms of registration, registering all individuals in Fiji.”
Face-to-Face Registration Process
The Ministry of Health is also looking at all health facilities across the country to facilitate registration process.
“The health team will be mobilised across using NGO partners. It would not necessarily just be at health facilities but even to the point in communities, high flow traffic areas, which we’re identifying at the moment high populated areas in towns and cities and communities.”
Registration for Permit Holders
“We’re identifying as well means of registering individuals with permit holders that is currently in the process and as soon as we get this available we’ll definitely communicate to the public at large in registering them.”
Registration does not equate to consenting for vaccination
Registration doesn’t mean that you’re consenting for vaccination, Dr Rachel said.
Consent will be required on the day of vaccination via individuals’ signing off consent forms.
“On the day of vaccination, you sign off a consent form, an informed decision made by all individuals of information provided to everyone being vaccinated. So a consent form is signed off on the day.
“We’re really encouraging all to register. Registration doesn’t mean consenting and you’re getting vaccinated, but registering means that we have you in our database. In terms of when vaccination comes and you’re already eligible for it, you can definitely get vaccinated. So encouraging all Fijians to register regardless.
“And you can always opt because I’m mindful that the misinformation out there is also going around, so we want that misinformation, to change to informed consent. So registration doesn’t mean you’re consenting but you’re allowing the opportunity to probably consent even at a later stage when the vaccines are rolling out.”
Lost ID Cards
For individuals who may have lost any form of ID card because of the recent floods, etc, the MOH is working very closely with the elections office.
Plans are to deploy teams from the MOH and Elections Office to assist individuals to acquire a valid ID, if they have lost theirs, for registration purposes.
