THE government of Korea has given the people of the Northern Division another opportunity for better health services with a $2.5million gift of new equipment and a new building.
Embassy of Korea counsellor Jinhee Ho said the project, which falls under their category of "Improvement of Emergency and Community Health Care Systems", had been one of their major projects in Fiji.
"The Korean Government has pursued the project to improve health services for the last three years.
"The assistance in Labasa is comparable with the project we did at the Rakiraki Hospital, where we contributed $3.7m from 1995 to 2008," Ms Oh said.
She said the Korean embassy was happy that the project was near completion and anticipated the official opening.
"We hope that the facilities will be much used and well maintained and that it contributes to the improvement of health care service to the local community in Vanua Levu," Ms Ho said.
As part of the opening next month, the Korean Government will have a team of Korean technicians at the Labasa Hospital.
The technicians will train hospital staff on the use of the new equipment provided by Korea.
Ms Oh said the new building included a healing garden, A&E and eye department.
She said the project was first proposed by the Fiji Government in June 2006 and was now in fruition.
