Only four of 43 complaints against doctors, dentists resolved
The Fiji Medical and Dental Secretariat received 43 complaints, with substandard care the most common concern.
Monday 12 October 2026 | 14:00
Updated 12 October 2026 | 15:06 FJT
Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu.
Photo: Parliament of Fiji
Only four of 43 complaints lodged against doctors and dentists since 2023 have been resolved, while 37 remain pending.
The figures were highlighted by Health and Medical Services Minister Dr Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu in response to a written question from MP Premila Kumar in Parliament.
The complaints were received by the Fiji Medical and Dental Secretariat. They include 33 against medical practitioners and 10 against dentists.
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Three medical cases and one dental case have been resolved since 2023. Three medical cases and two dental cases lodged in 2023 remain unresolved, nearly three years later.
Substandard care was the most common complaint, covering negligence, misdiagnosis and delays in treatment. It accounted for 16 complaints against medical practitioners and eight against dentists.
Unprofessional conduct was the next most common category, with 13 complaints against medical practitioners and one against a dentist. These complaints include breaches of patient confidentiality, altered records and fraud.
Dr Lalabalavu also listed two complaints against medical practitioners involving unlicensed providers and one concerning practitioner impairment. There was one sexual misconduct complaint against a medical practitioner and one against a dentist.
He said: “The Secretariat operates under strict administrative and statutory procedures.”
A patient pays $10 to lodge a complaint, and the practitioner has 14 days to respond. The file is then referred to the Medical or Dental Professional Conduct Committee, which meets every three months.
The committee decides whether a case should be referred to an investigator, dealt with through an informal meeting or proceed to a full disciplinary hearing.
Investigators are given 14 days to submit their reports, but the Minister said this timeframe could be extended because they work full-time elsewhere.
Regarding the oldest cases, two medical investigation reports are ready for the next committee meeting, while one medical case remains under investigation.
Dr Lalabalavu said: “Active monitoring, tracking, and continuous follow-ups are conducted by the Secretariat across all pending files.”
