Labasa Hospital the Only One wItH All COVID-19-FrEE StAff

Medical professionals and health staff from the Labasa Hospital have all retained their COVID-19 free status.

The Divisional Hospital can boast to be the only one in the country not to have any of its staff contracting the virus during the second wave of the pandemic.

Acting Divisional Medical Officer Northern (DMO) Dr Tiko Saumalua said they had persisted through the second wave and were fortunate no staff member from the hospital had contracted the virus.

Dr Saumalua said there were some cases where Ministry of Health and Medical Services staff based in the other Divisional Hospitals in Lautoka and Suva’s Colonial War Memorial Hospital had contracted the deadly virus.

“We kept our guard up despite the low number of cases recorded in the Northern Division because we were aware that a single outbreak would be catastrophic for all staff members,” he said.

He also commended the efforts of 50 medical professionals from the Northern Division who were part of the Fiji Emergency Medical Assistance Team in Viti Levu.

“Upon arrival, they strictly observed a four-day quarantine period in their respective homes before being cleared negative for the virus,” he said.

“Our role of containing COVID-19 was not just focused in the hospital premises only, but for the entire Vanua Levu.”

Meanwhile, Minister for Health and Medical Services, Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete stated that there were thousands of repatriates hoping to return to Vanua Levu in the coming weeks and months.

Dr Waqainabete said they were in constant contact with the Commissioner Northern’s office on the number of repatriates arriving each day upon approval.