THE Health Ministry says some of its officials are lax, particularly in regard to their service to the public.
Ministry spokesman Peni Namotu said they had received complaints from villagers on an island in Vanua Levu that health officials had developed a poor attitude towards patients.
Mr Namotu said the situation was common in most health facilities throughout the country because of the lack of proper supervision. He said the ministry had taken a strong stand to emphasise to officials to be customer-oriented and improve on their services.
"In fact, the lax attitude is a problem we have noticed in most health facilities nationwide and the ministry is working towards improving services," Mr Namotu said.
"We want officials to prioritise our patients because they are there for our help."
While the ministry was also focused on improving the attitude of officials, Mr Namotu said senior officials were tasked with supervising operations in health facilities to ensure services were provided efficiently.