Fiji: building the foundations for 7-1-7
Burnet has focused on creating the conditions for long-term adoption of the 7-1-7 approach by building partnerships and demonstrating its practical value.
Working with the Fiji Centre for Disease Control (CDC – a division of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services) and the Pacific Community (SPC), Burnet facilitated a national workshop involving participants from national, division and subdivision levels of the health system.
Rather than introducing 7-1-7 as a standalone framework, discussions focused on how it could strengthen existing outbreak response systems and support continuous improvement. Participants identified opportunities to integrate the approach into outbreak response teams, standard operating procedures, training programs and national planning processes.
Identifying practical opportunities
Workshop discussions showed that the greatest value of 7-1-7 was not simply measuring how quickly outbreaks were detected and responded to. It also provided a structured process for identifying barriers and actions to address them, and documenting lessons learned during outbreaks.
Participants also identified implementation challenges, including difficulties applying the methodology retrospectively to endemic diseases and defining outbreak thresholds across different administrative levels. These conversations helped refine how 7-1-7 could be integrated into Fiji's health system.
Participants identified a number of ways to encourage adoption, including:
- integrating 7-1-7 into Division and Subdivision Outbreak Response Teams (DORT and SORT)
- incorporation into training and standard operating procedures
- inclusion in the Health Protection Business Plan
- consideration within Fiji's 5-year strategic planning process
- presentation to the National Health Executive Committee.
Discussions about 7-1-7 were not limited to the workshop itself. Participants reported that they were already sharing the approach with colleagues within their own teams.
Supporting regional leadership
Although staffing changes and scheduling delays slowed implementation during 2026, collaboration between Burnet, SPC and Fiji CDC has continued.
Plans are progressing for a One Health-focused workshop, which was requested by Fiji's Ministry of Health and Medical Services. One Health brings together human, animal and environmental health partners. Burnet has also supported the development of sub-national 7-1-7 training resources with SPC and academic partners.
Fiji is emerging as an important regional example of how the 7-1-7 approach can be integrated into existing public health systems while supporting learning across Pacific island countries through partnerships with SPC.
Regional impact across the Pacific
Beyond work in individual countries, Burnet has helped raise awareness of the 7-1-7 approach across the Pacific. Working with SPC, the World Health Organization (WHO) and regional networks, Burnet has introduced 7-1-7 through One Health workshops, Field Epidemiology Training Programs, Rapid Response Team training and Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network forums.
This regional engagement has generated interest from countries including Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Kiribati, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu. It has positioned 7-1-7 for broader adoption through future Pandemic Fund and regional health security initiatives.
Key outcomes
- Strong partnership established with Fiji CDC, the Ministry of Health and Medical Services and SPC.
- National workshop engaged participants across multiple levels of the health system.
- Practical pathways identified to integrate 7-1-7 into policy, training and outbreak response.
- Positive participant feedback demonstrated growing national ownership.
- Continued collaboration supporting One Health implementation and regional capacity building.
