Minister Explains Kadavu Nursing Station Situation
Minister for Health and Medical Services, Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete says nurses can only provide medicine up to their qualifications and knowledge when they are posted to nursing stations.
Dr Waqainabete said a doctor was needed for more serious concerns because people’s lives could be at risk.
“Nurses can only provide as much as they can based on their qualifications,” he said while responding to a query on this at the Kadavu Provincial Council meeting last week.
A villager raised the issue and said it has become an inconvenience as they need to head to Vunisea Hospital for further treatment.
The villager said some medications were not provided at some nursing stations and had seen them needing help at the Vunisea Hospital, which is the only hospital on the island of more than 10,000 people.
Dr Waqainabete said it was important that people get the right medication and in order to do so, they must be examined properly and get medications from doctors if the need arises.
There are six doctors on the island. Four of the doctors are stationed at the Vunisea Hospital while Kavala Health Centre and Daviqele Health Centre have one each.
The Ministry recently sent seven nurses on the island and is expected to send two more nurses soon.
He said the next plan was to up- grade some nursing stations on the island to a health centre to cater for people’s medical needs.
Kadavu has six nursing stations.
Soso Nursing Station is expected to have this upgrade. The station currently looks after a near-2000 people in the district of Naceva.
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