State to pay private doctors $5m - A-G
GOVERNMENT will pay $5 million to private medical practitioners who will provide medical services to Fijians in COVID-19 hit zones who normally access public health facilities.
Attorney-General and Economy Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum made this announcement during a news briefing last Thursday.
“We’ve gone ahead with this because it puts less pressure on the doctors in the public health system,” he said.
“This service is available for those people who normally would go to say a health centre or public hospital because they cannot normally afford to pay the cost of a private doctor.”
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said the medical services provided by general practitioners would be free of charge to for those who normally accessed public health facilities.
“Now, of course, those people who already have been the patients or clients of these GPs won’t be eligible for this, because they already could afford to go and see a private doctor.”
The A-G said 24 GPs and GP companies had applied to provide services.
“We have selected 17 outlets in Ba, in Lautoka, in Nadi and there are some in the Suva-Nausori corridor that have also been approved as service providers.
“Essentially what this means is that if you have a flu or you got some ailment you had a cut, and that you want a dressing put on, you can actually go to these GPs and get those services provided by them.”
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said the full list of doctors providing this service was available on the Government Facebook page.