Food Poisoning in Fiji

Just wanting to let other travellers know that for the last month or so.Food poisoning has been rampant in Fiji. From my own experience especially at the Sheraton Denerau Hotel . When we had to go to hospital there was excrement up the walls, no toilet paper no soap in the toilets and vomit was left on the floor for the several days of our stay. We couldn't leave as we were on a drip. The hotel wouldn't let us return until the drip was removed. We have heard and spoken to others who are still experiencing this. Be very very careful. We have been to Fiji probably 15 times but we were both so very sick I won't be returning.
We are seasoned travellers through India, Vietnam, Africa etc and have never seen a hospital as bad. If travellers don't complain it will never improve for the locals. I understand that New Zealand and Austealian Govts send money to Fiji. They should be checking out where it is being spend as it certainly isn't in the hospital. I could go on and on. I uinderstand that one of the TV announcers in NZ mentioned how sick she was a few weeks ago when they visited. Be warned. Fiji needs to clean up there act.

The TV 'announcer' (actually one of those famous for being famous people) was sick from an infected coral cut. Not at all relevant to your problem.
NZ aid anywhere is already directed.
You had food poisoning, but how does that make it rampant? And how many 'others' does it take to make something rampnat?
Have you been in hospital on many of your trips?
While your experience wasn't nice, I think your conclusions are a little overstated. Since you have been to Fiji 15 times, and have not had this problem before, it would probably indicate that food poisoning is not rampant. In fact NZ has one of the highest reported rates in developed countries, but that is open to various explanations too.
Food poisoning happens anywhere.

I should have posted this link when I first saw it in the University of Hawaii's Pacific Island Report:
flu outbreak in Fiji

What hospital were you in? I never saw anything like that at the main hospital in Nadi, as far as I can see they do their best with very limited resources. Granted, I was only in emergency, but it was as clean as could be expected.

look, those of you in denial,the big picture is, fiji has health issues. the posts that argue,(for the most part) and counter the travelers and tourists observations, are the soliciters that "mask" as innocent little tooth fairies floating around pretending that fiji is heaven on earth. WAKE-UP TIME!!!HONK HONK!! fiji, a very beautiful place by sheer tropical lush surroundinings, is sad to say, not so clean. the same is true of places like viet am,the phillipines,mexico,and so on. Roaches,flies, and rats are noticable. what is not noticable(and should be) is toilet paper. what is it with you guys and this toilet paper void? its not that expensive. perhaps we can enter a plea to the U.N. for a surplus of tissue paper. a hospital,hotel,govt blg, can APPEAR clean, but be overun by the forementioned creatures. and, add to this, no toiletry, complicates the matter as panic ridden "wipers" are suddenly looking for walls,seats,floors, etc to finish the job. once this is done,with much regret, i might add, the consequential element is that the misplaced "remnants" become a magnet for creatures looking for a protien enriched meal. when we were in fiji(9 mos) alot of people were sick from simular occurances. afterawhile, your system builds immunity, and you carry toilet paper everywhere. you also learn to cook your own meals as eating out becomes quite a risk. money from NZ obviously goes to the top(like so many other 3rd world countries) and is hoarded illegally and kept for the most part in coffers for chiefs,politicians, and the like. which is why, fiji is and will remain, a third world country.

I would like to see evidence for the assertion that money from NZ obviously goes to the top and is hoarded illegally. A simple assertion is not evidence.
I have previously said and will say again that my experience of Fiji does not jibe with Workman's, which seems to be expressed in rather frantic, rabid terms. I haven't seen anyone deny that Fiji has "health issues" but I'm not sure that rabies is one of them. Perhaps Workman picked it up in the states. The second sentence in his post is just one part that is difficult to make any sense of.
I don't deny that there are cockroaches, flies and rats, but I was never bothered by them because I never noticed any. As for cooking your own food, I did that to save money, but ate in a range of places and never got sick.
The OP and Workman both seem to overstate their case.

SusanLong,

It is sad to hear that you had such a bad experience during your last trip to Fiji. You say you experienced 'food poisening'. As this is not a contageous illness, are you able to tell me (us) what food source was the cause of your getting ill. If not, can you narrow it down by listing the foods you ate on or near the time you became ill?

workman63,

You comment very strongly regarding Fiji's lack if cleanliness. It is typical of tropical weathered countries to have crawley creatures such as cockroaches and rats together with flies. This can also be said of such countries as say ... Thailand. In Thailand they consider rats and cockroaches delicacies to eat. Another example is tropical North Queensland in Austalia. Cockroaches run rampant, flies swoon during the summer months.. as do mozzies.

The number of people with AIDS is increasing dramatically at present in the US;
Mad cow disease was a major problem in England some time back;
the bird flu was an epidemic in Singapore a while back;
every winter in Australia there is a new strain of flu running rampant through the communities ...

Does this make these countries dirty, less hygienic etc? No.

For centuries our world has been exposed to germs / diseases. It is unhealthy to not be exposed to germs. As you said above, people build immunity. This is how the human system works and survives.

As for your comment re toilet paper... I get the impression that you have a phobia of toilets and have suffered mental distress by visiting one with no paper. It sounds as though you have not fully recovered. May I recommend therapy?!

Whilst I have only ever been to the Suva Hospital I can't comment on the Nadi one, but I suspect Nadi is just another "bring your own stuff" hospital. The bathrooms in Suva Hospital (note, I am not talking about the private hospital) are a disgrace and filthier than some public toilets I've come across.

But then, I remember the first time I had to go to hospital here in the UK and it is not a lot of difference, 18 people in one room, only seperated by curtains, no privacy, stressed nurses, long waiting times, oxygen bottles unsecured on the floor, a bucket full of dirty water with a mop standing in it in one corner, dirty linen in a heap in the other corner.... I guess the only thing that IS available in UK hospitals is toilet paper...

And the last time I was in a hospital in Germany the patients were asked to clean the toilet before they use it and then afterwards. Nice try with a drip in one arm and weakened by an operation!

Missing toilet paper is a common thing in Fiji, why I do not know!

I do not want to make excuses for the situation in Fiji's public hospitals, but please remember, this is a third world country and things take longer than in other countries. Also, I think it would be a lot better if the locals complained and not a tourist. This would just come across as the typical arrogant tourist who thinks everything is better in their country.

reply # 5 basically you agree with me, as i stated other countries share the critter jitters. thanks for the world health report, but cnn and msn etc do fine for me. so, does fiji have to build up its immunity to get some toilet paper? what excuse is there for that? the black death in europe(14th century) wiped out thousands. the villians were mosquitoes,rats, and poor sanitary conditions. see any simularities here? your right about toiket paper phobia, it all started in fiji, and i still carry toilet paper around with me, even to bed!! can you suggest a shrink? perhaps, in time, i can build immunity to toilet paper, and maybe even fiji.

reply # 4. show me a government THAT DOESNT PILFER,ROB,EMBEZZLE,ETC, AND I'LL SHOW YOU A BATHROOM IN FIJI, WITH TOILET PAPER. explain "rabid" terms or "framtic" does that mean i'm in a hurry? or that a dog had his way with my leg? i guess you mean you didnt notice the critters forementioned because you were you just USED to their presence, hence, they also were used to you. a good mutual relationship with these guys is an effectice way of dealing with this..........denia. and so....the story here on these posts continue. saying negative stuff or giving honest insights is continullly objected to, and challenged. so are we all supposed to change our opinions and deny our experiences? does the name joseph stalin sound familiar to you thugs out there in fiji fantasy land?

Jeez workman, get a grip. No-one is denying you the right to air your opinions, but no-one is going to pay any attention to your constant frothing at the mouth. I you are trying to make a point, you're failing. Try being rational, you might get somewhere someday.

Workman,

The last rant is one of your best yet.
To be able to fit Stalin, toilet paper and a dog having his way with your leg in the same statement requires real talent.

Congratulations

Dimitry

Yes Workman we do have flies here. And mosquitoes. And my dog was chasing a nest of rats a couple of days ago. Missed the buggers though.
While your posts may not be of much practical use, they are certainly entertaining.
keep up the good work. :-)

Kia ora Bloq
We do have some of your problems: possums, wallabies and gum trees. :-)

All this because one person ate some dodgy food - wow!

Workman - Unfortunately I can't recommend any shrinks in Fiji. I can however direct you to Papua New Guinea... they have some great witch doctors there.

and.... we still don't know what SusanLong ate.

Hmmmmm.....

Its probably due to governments systematically underfunding the health system. This was probably an IMF or associated condition of getting aid.

One more thing... When my mother still lived in Fiji (Nadi) she said that everyone was proud of their hospitals and other public sector areas. People took pride in their work and believed that Fiji was just as good as Britain, the colonisers. So it wasn't always like it is now.

I think the Sheraton is over-rated anyway..........