HEALTH MINISTER GATHERS DATA ON OUR HEALTH SECTOR
DR ANTONIO LALABALAVU OFFICIATES AT LAUNCH OF NEW MRI AT OCEANIA HOSPITAL ‘For now we are working within the financial year and the increase in paying for nurses and doctors will be something in our budget submission’
Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Antonio Lalabalavu believes the private sector is the engine of growth for any economy.
He admitted this while officiating at the launch of the New Magnetic Resonate Imaging (MRI) facility at Oceania Hospital on Tuesday.
“The Hospital has included another key modality to the current array of services by introducing the MRI services one of the most advanced diagnostic tool in radiology today,” he said.
Dr Lalabalvu said since inception, Oceania Hospital has continued to support and complement the public sector through the various key Government initiatives to improve health deliverables to the public space.
“One of the key strategies that the ministry and medical services is pursuing is to continue with building and strengthening public private partnership by identifying common synergies in health services delivery that would beneficial to the community; working closely with key stakeholders from the private sector such as Oceania
Hospitals and creating the conducive environment at regulatory.”
Dr Lalabalavu added this machine could help to accurately diagnose the injuries that athletes sustain which would lead to early treatment and recovery, but also assist in their planning for and hosting large scale local and international sport events in the country.
“I acknowledge Oceania Hospital active participation in the private public partnership schemes we have in place for patients such as the outpatients and medical centre visits for consults,” he said.
‘A lot to be done in health care infrastructure’
On a visit to the Colonial War Memorial (CWM) Hospital, the Minister commented that there was a lot to be done in health care infrastructure, not only at the CWM Hospital, but in other medical facilities.
Dr Lalabalavu said a definite need of a good touch up and repairs had been highlighted in ongoing discussion and briefing between the ministry and hospital administration staff. He heard repair works were also on the agenda for the hospital. He looks forward to see how they can best prioritise areas at CWM that needs a touch up.
“We will be making our submission for infrastructure development of medical facilities in the next budget meeting,” Dr Lalabalavu said.
“These past few weeks I had visited some health care facilities in the North and the West, and will also be visiting other places as well.
He said they were also gathering data and information from the visitation and would pull them together to prioritise how best they could address issues going forward.
“That is the main thing that we are doing right now beside the site visitation,” he said.
Nurse shortage and nurse retention
The minister also believes that the shortage of nurses and the brain drain of health workers has been felt throughout the country.
He said the shortage of nurses was a challenge, but going forward the ministry would work on something for now until the next financial year.
“For now we are working within the financial year and the increase in paying for nurses and doctors will be something in our budget submission.” He said nurses were marketable overseas with the provision of facilities like the Oceania Hospital.
“Even the increase in pay is not a solution, but we will look into other avenues of why they are leaving as well with the need to address these issues, challenges that our nurses face,” Dr Lalabalavu said. Dr Lalabalavu said the Fiji Nursing Association had raised its grievances during their meeting.
“I will listen to them and take on board all issues and resolve it in an inclusive manner,” he said.
“Top down approach, taking on board the challenges that they are facing and trying to incorporate that as we move forward with health.” Dr Lalabalavu said the reinstating of doctors and nurses who were laid off during the COVID-19 pandemic was also discussed.
He said right now it was just visiting the medical facilities around the country, looking at the facility, listening to the challenges faced, gather data and act accordingly on how best to move forward.
“I just need to see how best we can follow those processes, gather those data and provide a solution to them,” he said.