Bridging the Gap in the Early Warning System for Ciguatera Fish Poisoning Outbreak on Ambae Island, Vanuatu

Abstract

Indigenous and traditional knowledge sources for remote communities have significant implications for policymakers and community leaders in Vanuatu. Our study is based on three (3) area councils on Ambae Island in Vanuatu: East, North, and West Area councils. This study investigated the use of local indicators to predict the presence of ciguatera fish poisoning and its integration with science to enhance community responses to health risks. We employ a mixed-methods approach to collect data from these area councils and government agencies, particularly the Department of Health, the Department of Fisheries, and the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department. This paper identifies three significant areas: indigenous and traditional knowledge indicators for Ciguatera, a potential platform for the integration of indigenous and traditional knowledge with science, and perspectives from community and government agencies on the integrated early warning platform. This study underscores the pressing need for government agencies to collaborate with local communities to evaluate and develop the best practices that enable the integration of indigenous and traditional knowledge with scientific information to improve community responses to health risk management in Vanuatu.