Finally Going Home

Fifty-four Labasa Medical Personnel who were deployed to Lautoka and Suva to assist in the COVID-19 FEMAT hospital operations, are finally returning home today.

This was after the team completed their 14-day quarantine in Nadi yesterday.

Fiji Emergency Medical Assistance Team (FEMAT) Leader, Dr Luke Nasedra, said the team, which completed their work at the Suva COVID-facilities, had completed their 14-day quarantine period in Nadi and were cleared to return to Labasa today.

Dr Nasedra acknowledged the sacrifices and long hours put in by the team while working away from families and loved ones for almost five months.

The team, which included nurses, doctors, and a surgical team, played a crucial role in the setup of the FEMAT facilities in Lautoka and Suva at the beginning of the second wave in Viti Levu.

Minister for Health and Medical Services, Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete, said the ministry was grateful for the young medical and nursing staff who had put their hands up to assist the teams in Viti Levu during a time of crisis.

Team member and Labasa Hospital team leader nursing, Sister Selaima Tuisavuna, said the team would undergo another four days of quarantine in Labasa before they would be allowed to reunite with their families.

Ms Tuisavuna said she was happy to finally be going back home.

“It has been an emotionally draining experience, but we have persevered together as a team. We wouldn’t want what has happened in Suva to happen in the North, so we are happy and thankful that we are finally going back home, to help our colleagues back home and to protect our Divisional Hospital.”