Plans for national rehab centre

HEALTH Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete has unveiled plans to build a $20 million Fiji National Rehabilitation Centre at the Tamavua Hospital.

He said the Government of Korea through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) had committed to a six-year project commencing this year.

“We are very thankful to the Republic of Korea for their continuous support towards playing a critical role in the health development in the country,” he said.

“Initially, how it came about was that they put aside some funding of $10m for work around climate change and health and we’re thankful that they looked at strengthening our public health program, including some work at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“Once there, we introduced them to the Tamavua Hospital because it was old and we had to move patients out of there to the Twomey Hospital.

“They looked at it and did their feasibility study and worked with our rehab specialist and have come up with a concept.

“To do that project involves building a hospital and also training for our doctors and our staff in rehabilitation medicine.

“So the timings of when they will start building the infrastructure, I’m not certain, but it has been confirmed by them.”

Following the opening of the five-bed COVID-19 isolation facility valued at $176,000 at the Tamavua Twomey Hospital in March, the Republic of Korea through its development arm KOICA later gave 10 ambulances to the Health Ministry, with the view to enhancing people’s access to health services in the country.