Healthcare workers complain of service gaps in Lomaiviti

Healthcare delivery in Qarani, Navukailagi in Lomaiviti has come under scrutiny.

Medical professionals have raised concerns about service gaps and increasing pressure on local health facilities during recent consultations held by the Constitution Review Commission (CRC).

Registered nurse Josefa Ratabua told the commission frontline health workers were struggling to meet rising community demand because of limitations in staffing, resources and access to timely care.

“We are seeing the demand rise, but the support systems are not keeping up,” Mr Ratabua said.

“Health workers are doing their best, but the reality on the ground is that patients are sometimes not receiving the level of care they should be getting.”

His comments reflect wider concerns among healthcare workers in the area, particularly in rural and maritime communities such as Qarani, where delays in treatment, limited medical supplies and emergency response challenges are reportedly common.

Mr Ratabua also linked healthcare access to constitutional rights, stressing it was not only a service issue but also a legal one.

Under the Constitution of the Republic of Fiji 2013, Section 38 guarantees the right to health.

It affirms access to healthcare services, including reproductive healthcare, and requires the State to take reasonable measures within available resources to progressively realise this right.

He said this placed an ongoing obligation on Government to improve accessibility and quality of care, particularly in underserved areas.

During the consultation, Mr Ratabua urged constitutional guarantees to be matched with practical investment on the ground.

“Rights on paper must translate into services people can actually access,” he said.

“Otherwise, communities will continue to feel left behind.”

The CRC continues nationwide consultations, gathering submissions from professionals, community leaders and members of the public on how constitutional provisions are experienced in daily life.