A year on!

On this day last year, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka spoke about a public health system ‘plagued’ by crumbling infrastructure, overworked staff, and a dire need for basic equipment and medicine.

It painted a stark picture of Fiji’s public health system.

It certainly wasn’t encouraging.

And it echoed sentiments shared by Minister for Health Dr Atonio Lalabalavu and resonated with Fijians who had experienced the system’s shortcomings firsthand.

A year later, just last month, Deputy Prime Minister Professor Biman Prasad’s revelation that improving hospital and health centre infrastructure remains a “major challenge” again serves as a stark reminder of the systemic neglect that plagued the system. We mentioned this last month, while the Government’s pledge to address this within six months offers a glimmer of hope, it cannot take away the question: where has the focus been all these years? A nation’s healthcare system is the bedrock upon which its growth and development rest. It is an investment in the wellbeing of every Fijian, a reflection of its priorities, and a determinant of its future.

To see this system crumble over years is a sad reflection of our priorities.

Maintenance, consumables, drug supplies, and building integrity are not luxuries in healthcare; they are the bare minimum. They are the difference between life and death, between hope and despair.

We can’t just ignore the healthcare system’s plight. It is not just about fixing buildings and restocking shelves. We should be restoring trust, dignity, and the very foundation of a healthy Fiji.

The Government’s six-month pledge is a start, but it must be accompanied by transparency, accountability, and a clear roadmap for long-term change.

Fijians deserve healthcare facilities that are functional, safe, accessible, and equipped to deliver quality care.

They deserve healthcare workers who are empowered, supported, and valued.

And we all need to encourage the Government to prioritise our wellbeing, with sustained and decisive action.

We can say a lot of things, and people will talk, but the neglect of our healthcare system has gone on for too long.

We must break the cycle.

Once again, we acknowledge the efforts of our healthcare workers who continue to turn up to work when they are rostered.

We acknowledge their commitment, and their dedication.

We look up to the powers that be to look after them and accommodate their needs.

We hope this would then translate to better service delivery, and subsequently the good health of the nation, and the economy.

Again we acknowledge the effort going into identifying challenges, and putting in place measures and contingencies to upgrade our facilities and systems, resources and the human factor.

Work must go on!