Fiji to provide medical supplies to Tonga for cyclone relief

Fiji will provide medicinal relief supplies to Tonga after the neighbor country's northern island of Ha'apai was devastated by the recent tropical cyclone Ian, the Fijian government announced Thursday. Medical supplies worth over 93,385 U.S. dollars from Fiji's Healty Ministry will be sent to Tonga by the Sea Mercy Emergency Response Fleet, a floating health clinic which provides free health care services to remote islands and islands that need assistance during disasters, according to the Ministry of Information. Fiji's Health Minister Neil Sharma said it is important to assist neighbouring Pacific island countries in times of need. "This will show the Health Ministry's commitment towards improving health services not only in Fiji but also in the Pacific region," said Sharma. The category 5 tropical cyclone, which brought heavy rain and strong winds and caused extensive devastation to Tonga last month, has prompted the South Pacific island country to declare a state of emergency for 28 days for Vava'u and Ha'apai, two of the country's three island groups. One person was killed by the cyclone.