New Zealand supports Fiji’s health sector

NEW Zealand is committed to supporting Fiji's health sector post-pandemic and ensuring that health care facilities are safe, resilient, reliable, and responsive to the needs of all patients and healthcare workers.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, New Zealand has supported Fiji to strengthen the resilience of its healthcare infrastructure to withstand the impacts of future events, including natural disasters.

Four major health centres and a nursing station in the Central Division have benefitted from this support, which is expected to provide basic primary care services to an estimated 160,000 people residing in the towns of Korovou, Nausori, Nasinu and Navua.

These facilities are responsible for delivering health care services and advocacy programmes to schools, communities and work places.

Strong collaboration between the Ministry of Health and Medical Services and the New Zealand High Commission has contributed to the success of this project.

The Ministry team has worked closely with New Zealand and construction partner Fletcher Building to ensure that priority infrastructure needs are met, including upgrading water and sanitation infrastructure to promote and enhance good infection prevention and control practices.

Experience during the COVID-19 pandemic has seen the Ministry focused on ensuring that each health facility has ample, wellventilated waiting areas for patients.

Providing additional outdoor areas at the Makoi Health Centre has enabled space to be freed up inside the facility, leading to improvements in the overall experience of staff and patients as they move through the health centre. Improvements to Wainibokasi Hospital have included installing accessible bathrooms and an upgraded pharmacy that provides a stable environment for the storage of medicines.

New Zealand is proud to have supported this initiative to increase health infrastructure resilience and improve patient experience.

Picture: SUPPLIED New Zealand High Commission first secretary Sarah Nisbet joins the Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu at the opening of the newly refurbished Makoi Health Centre.

Picture: SUPPLIED Inset: Picture: SUPPLIED The new pharmacy, Special Outpatients clinic, and waiting area at Wainibokasi Hospital. Upgrades at this facility included a new pharmacy and accessible bathrooms. The newly refurbished Makoi health centre with its new waiting area, fully renovated health structure, backup water supply system, and backup power supply. 32,000 people are estimated to benefit from improvements at this facility.