Hospital’s major issues

Patient privacy breach, overcrowding and insufficient facilities

GENERAL outpatients seen at the Tavua Sub-divisional Hospital have had to cross the Emergency Department “breaching patient confidentiality” to access the washroom due to the non-availability of a restroom at the General Outpatients Department.

The sub-divisional medical officer, Dr Renita Maharaj, highlighted this major challenge to Deputy Prime Minister Professor Biman Prasad during his visit to the West last week.

While the construction of the facility is in its initial stages, Dr Maharaj shared this with government representatives, hoping the health issue would be urgently looked into for the benefit of the public.

“As of today, we do not have a GOPD washroom for the general public,” the concerned medical officer noted.

“So, they have to cross the Emergency Department, breaching confidentiality, to go and visit the washroom.

“When it comes to clinical services, we have a primary eye care nurse who does not have a proper room, so she uses other cubicles.”

Dr Maharaj said a room was shared by two doctors to attend to patients, and at any point in time, there would be six people in this room being attended to.

Serving a population of approximately 22,000, Dr Maharaj also noted the burden of sending admitted sick patients prematurely home just so they could cater for the sicker ones.

She also informed Prof Prasad of the major burden of delivering effective and efficient service to the Nadarivatu Health Centre in the Tavua interior during the rainy season.

“For our in-patient service, we have 30 beds to cater for a population of 22,000 and the bed occupancy is almost always more than 100 per cent with the average length of stay for one patient being three days.

“Because of 30 beds, we sometimes have to discharge patients prematurely.”