Fighting NCDs Draining Our Resources: Dr Waqainabete

We have a non-com­municable dis­eases (NCD) crisis that is draining much of our health resources, says Dr Iferemi Waqainabete.

The Minister for Health and Medical Services said the challenges were real, as the growing burden of diseases in the region were stretching the limits of our capacity, causing countries to dig deep with the scarcity of what they had.

He made the remarks dur­ing the opening of a two-day Pacific Country Meeting on Specialised Health Care Services at Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva with a theme on “sub-regional collabora­tion for specialised health­care services”.

Dr Waqainabete said health technology and medical equipment were advancing rapidly that sub­sequently placed a burden on costs.

“Pharmaceutical is one of the highest expenditure items on our health budget and then the continuous battle over forces that at­tract our skilled health workers and specialists away from our health sys­tems,” Dr Waqainabete said.

“It is important, as lead­ers, to ensure that our health resources are being employed in the most effi­cient and effective ways.

“This statement is espe­cially true for specialised healthcare services, which happens to be the most expensive service of our health systems

“The Fijian Government recent venture into partner­ship with Australia-based Aspen Medical Pty Limited will see overseas quality medical services brought right to the doorstep of our citizens, and at affordable costs.”

Edited by Susana Tuilau

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