Burden on patients
Villagers await rehabilitation of Naqarawai Nursing Station
NAQARAWAI Nursing Station has remained vacant for almost two years, causing patients to travel further for medical attention.
This came about after the nursing quarters were burnt in 2022.
The then health minister, Ifereimi Waqainabete, had promised the villagers the quarters would be rehabilitated in no time. However, that did not occur.
When it was operational, the station catered to the three villages of Naqarawai, Wainimakutu, and Naraiyawa. It also looked after the medical welfare of students of Naqarawai and Wainimakutu secondary and primary schools.
Villager Ilaitia Mice said with the unavailability of nursing quarters to accommodate nurses, villagers either travel to Navunikabi Nursing Station or Navua Hospital for medical attention.
The trip from Wainimakutu to the Navunikabi station is roughly a 30to 40-minute drive.
In most cases, major medical emergencies lack immediate attention because of the distance of these villages to the Navunikabi Nursing Station.
During heavy rainfall, most of the Irish bridges leading to Navunikabi are submerged, forcing most patients to be treated within the confines of their homes.
Namosi public administrator Laisenia Tui said an issue with the land on which the nursing station was located had been ongoing and may be the cause of the delay.
He said they were in an arrangement with the Health Ministry to allocate nursing staff who hailed from one of the three villages.
The nurse staff is to reside in the village until they resolve the land issue and refurbish the nursing station.
Questions sent to the Ministry of Health on Tuesday, February 13, remain unanswered.