An assessment of latrine front-end characteristics and associated surface E. coli indicated faecal contamination in rural Fiji.

In Fiji, 90% of the population has access to basic sanitation; however, there are still persistent health risks from endemic faecal-oral diseases such as typhoid fever. There is a need to assess the contribution of existing sanitation facilities in the faecal pathogen transmission pathway. This study was conducted as part of a larger planetary health study across 29 rural communities within five river catchments.

Fruit and vegetable import duty reduction in Fiji to prevent obesity and non-communicable diseases: a case study.

Objective: To describe the development of Fiji's fruit and vegetable fiscal policies between 2010 and 2014 and explore the impact they have had on import volumes.

Design: Qualitative case study and in-depth analysis of policy process. Policy impact was assessed using publicly available import volume data and prices of food products.

Barriers and Facilitators to Food Policy Development in Fiji.

Introduction: Policy interventions can encourage healthier dietary choices and help prevent noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Consequently, governments are seeking to develop and implement food-related policies, but little research on food-related policies is available to guide policy development.

Objective: This study aims to provide an in-depth examination of barriers and facilitators to food-related policy development in Fiji.

The development and implementation of a new import duty on palm oil to reduce non-communicable disease in Fiji.

Background: Non communicable diseases (NCD) place a significant health burden on Pacific Island countries including Fiji. Policy interventions to curb NCDs have been implemented in Fiji including a 32% increase in the import duty on palm oil. This study aims to analyse the development and implementation of the increase in palm oil import duty in Fiji.

Exploring the dynamics of food-related policymaking processes and evidence use in Fiji using systems thinking.

Background: Obesity and non-communicable diseases are significant public health issues globally and particularly in the Pacific. Poor diet is a major contributor to this issue and policy change is a powerful lever to improve food security and diet quality. This study aims to apply systems thinking to identify the causes and consequences of poor evidence use in food-related policymaking in selected government ministries in Fiji and to illicit strategies to strengthen the use of evidence in policymaking.