PM’s Promise Fulfilled, Udu District Grateful
The problems of transport in attending to emergency calls by medical professionals at Nabouono Nursing Station, Lagi Village in Udu District, Macuata, have been resolved.
This was after Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama fulfilled a promise he made during his visit to this district in January.
Representative of Udu District Provincial Council Maikeli Sauwaqa thanked Mr Bainimarama for handing over a 23-and-a-half foot cabin fibre glass vessel with safety kit and a 60-horse-power outboard engine at Labasa Marine yesterday.
“I can vividly remember, Sir, requesting you for a vessel to meet the health needs of our people,” Mr Sauwaqa said while presenting a whale’s tooth to Mr Bainimarama.
“The nursing station at Lagi Village is not accessible by road and it takes more than an hour to travel by boat.
“The nurses have to walk long distances to villages and settlements in the district to conduct outreach programmes. Thank you for keeping your promise.”
Mr Bainimarama said he was delighted to fulfill another promise he made to the people of Vanua Levu.
“This boat will assist our nurses to reach the communities they serve quickly and safety,” Mr Bainimarama said.
“It would benefit 250 people from the villages of Lagi, Vunikodi, Nukusa, Nukudamu and other nearby settlements.
The total cost of this project is about $27,000.
“The boat is Fijian made having been constructed by Safeway Marine Limited in Vatuwaqa, Suva. An allocation like this may seem small in the overall scheme of things in terms of our national development,” the PM said.
“But a vessel like this can have a huge impact for the better for ordinary people in this case improving the delivery of health services to this remote part of Fiji.
“I am always pleased to be able to give the people of the North any assistance I can to improve their lives.”
Acting Northern Divisional Medical Officer, Ashneel Prasad, while receiving the boat and engine, thanked Mr Bainimarama for investing and improving primary care especially in rural areas of the North.
Edited by Jonathan Bryce
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