Navigating the smallpox threat in colonial Fiji: Vaccination endeavours and historical challenges

Abstract

AbstractUpon its cession from 1874 to 1970, Fiji was under the British colonial government, and the colonial government attempted to control the spread of smallpox in the colony. The vaccination of Smallpox in the colonial era was effectively eradicated and controlled by the colonial authority with the help of Native Medical Practitioners. This paper looks at how smallpox was prevented and controlled in Fiji. The control drive was established, executed, and expanded in the face of all medical, financial, logistical, social, political, and geographical challenges. Indeed, this paper examines the relationship between native and colonial administrations in tackling the spread of smallpox. The changes in vaccination policies’ formulation, implementation, and budgetary in Colonial Fiji were also examined in this paper. This research helps fill in the gaps in our understanding of the effects of colonial health policy in Fiji by focusing on the vaccination of indentured labourers and the construction of quarantine centres. By examining the historical backdrop of smallpox vaccination in colonial Fiji, this research has the potential to provide significant insights that can be utilized to improve the efficacy of contemporary public health initiatives, particularly in environments characterized by cultural diversity.

Keywords

• health history
• vaccination programs
• colonial Fiji
• cultural sensitivity
• public health challenges