‘$300K For Savusavu Hospital Upgrading’

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services has set aside $300,000 for the upgrading of their Savusavu Hospital facility.

Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete said they had identified areas that needs upgrading including solidifying the base of the hospital, “so we are trying to look for contractors to do that.”

He said the plan was to keep expanding the reach of the hospital in Savusavu knowing that many patients come in from Taveuni and nearby outer islands.

“I was in Savusavu over the first few weeks of this year doing a public outreach on Cakaudrove,” Dr Waqainabete said.

“So, there’s a lot of investment from our part for Cakaudrove as a whole as well as Savusavu.”

MINISTER RESPOND TO CLAIMS

Dr Waqainabete also responded to claims by family members of Adalyn Ramatau who had passed away at the Savusavu Hospital last week.

A family member claimed that there were no doctors and health professionals present to attend to Mrs Ramatau when she urgently needed medical attention.

“Our staff were there, the nurses and doctors were there,” he said.

“They might not necessarily be everywhere at the same time, but the treatment was organised, and they were in discussions with the Labasa hospital.

“Unfortunately, the lady was at a critical stage when she had arrived, they did the best but unfortunately given the weather and flooding they could not transfer the case to Labasa.”

He added that asthma was an exceedingly difficult disease; it was advisable that people suffering from asthma to seek medical attention as soon as they experience it.

“There are people who have died from asthma, but it is preventable,” he said.

He added that investigations were still ongoing on the case.

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