Korovou Hospital to restore X-ray services by end of year

Patients in Tailevu are expected to regain access to X-ray services at Korovou Hospital by the end of the year, Assistant Minister for Health and Medical Services Penioni Ravunawa says.

Mr Ravunawa said work was under way to upgrade the hospital's X-ray infrastructure and deploy the necessary personnel, following concerns raised by residents during the Fijian Media Association Townhall at Tailevu Hotel last week.

The lack of X-ray services has forced patients to travel right to the Nausori Hospital for medical imaging.

"The Ministry assures the people of Tailevu that restoring and strengthening health services at Korovou Hospital remains a priority. Efforts are underway to complete the upgrade of X-ray infrastructure and to deploy the necessary personnel to meet patient demand at Korovou Hospital before the end of this year," Mr Ravunawa said in a statement.

He acknowledged the inconvenience caused to patients and thanked the community for its patience and understanding.

Mr Ravunawa said the shortage of Medical Imaging Technologists was the result of long-standing workforce challenges.

He said a qualified Medical Imaging Technologist completed four years of university education followed by a compulsory 12-month internship at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital before becoming eligible for deployment.

Mr Ravunawa said the Coalition Government had introduced a policy requiring recipients of Government-funded scholarships to be bonded, with the aim of strengthening workforce retention in critical health professions.

He also noted that Fiji National University's Medical Imaging and Medical Laboratory Science programmes were now recognised for professional registration in Australia and New Zealand.

While the recognition reflected the high quality of Fiji's training, he said it had also increased overseas demand for graduates, contributing to ongoing recruitment and retention challenges.

Mr Ravunawa said the ministry remained committed to recruiting, training and deploying qualified health professionals while strengthening workforce planning, infrastructure, remuneration, staff accommodation, medical equipment and logistics across the health system.

"Our objective is not only to recruit and retain qualified healthcare professionals but also to provide a supportive working environment that promotes excellence in patient care and encourages our health workforce to build fulfilling careers within Fiji," he said.