The influx of patients at the Colonial War Memorial hospital (CWMH) did not allow the Health Ministry under the FijiFirst government to conduct any major renovations.
Opposition leader Inia Seruiratu said this was admitted by the CWM hospital medical superintendent when the COVID-19 pandemic hit Fiji.
“They admitted … this is the medical superintendent at the hospital, that they have not been able to do most of the major renovations at CWM simply because of the occupancy rate over the years,” Mr Seruiratu said when he appeared on The Fiji Times digital program The Lens@177.
Mr Seruiratu said at the time, CWM Hospital was overwhelmed with Fijians with serious health issues, especially non-communicable diseases.
“CWM, unfortunately, has always been filled to capacity because what’s available at CWM is not available in the sub divisional or divisional hospitals. Most of the cases have to be referred to CWM.
“So, let’s look at this issue with an open mind. Let’s give some perspective and credit as well to the health officials.”
He said that despite the infrastructure issues, Fiji’s health system was still one of the best in the region.
“Let me say this, if you look at Fiji’s health system, compare that with the region and of course, most other developing countries as well, we still have one of the best systems in Fiji.”
Mr Seruiratu said Fiji’s health system saw the country through catastrophes including COVID which countries in the region and the world learnt from Fiji.
He said the FijiFirst government did its best to raise the terms and conditions for health workers “to keep our people here”.
Mr Seruiratu said all the “old infrastructures” were inherited by their government, they did the best they could and it was now the Coalition Government’s turn “to do something around it”.
He said one could not judge the state of CWM Hospital “just from a missing doorknob and this has been coming from them (Social Democratic Liberal Party/National Federation Party) over the last few years.
“There have been some renovations in CWM. The operating theatre, during the FFP government, a lot of work was done in that. CT (computerised tomography) scan, MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging), I don’t have the full list of things that were done there, and look at the Suva and Nasinu, the work undertaken in Makoi, in Nine Miles, you have facilities.
“Maintenance, of course, we admit as well that there’s a lot of maintenance that needs to be done and looking at the budget, current government, Coalition Government, they are focusing more now on maintenance, no new infrastructure. It’s their call but then we have work to do in that area.”
Mr Seruiratu said while there were a lot of allocations in the 2023-2024 National Budget for infrastructure maintenance and renovation — what the people wanted to see was the building of new hospitals.
“I admit the fact that there are issues. We do what we can, and of course, the next government has to continue.
“And we expect more from the next government, from the current government. They have to do more, not only in terms of maintenance, but we want to see them building new hospitals.
“I’m from Korovou in Tailevu. That hospital has been there since 1975. I hope that they can do something new regarding that hospital in Korovou, Tailevu.”
