Encouraging news
SO we have received $A10million ($F14.7m) as part of the Colonial War Memorial (CWM) Hospital redevelopment master plan. What a relief, and it certainly is great news!
We know things are finally rolling, and that’s what thousands of people who visit the CWMH want to hear. It is encouraging.
We see this as much-needed assistance coming at a time when the facility has come under heavy scrutiny for its dilapidated state over the years, and other associated challenges.
During a signing for direct funding arrangement at CWM Hospital this week, Minister of Finance Professor Biman Prasad said the support will bolster Fiji’s efforts to deliver a comprehensive infrastructure master plan for the hospital.
As he said: “The monumental task of replacing CWM Hospital is not ours alone.”
He said it would take time, but the first step has now been taken in this important process.
“All stakeholders will need to work together, we need to plan properly and set Fiji up well for decades into the future.”
Health Minister Dr Atonio Lalabalavu, said the CWM Hospital is grappling with significant and complex challenges.
This included workforce shortages, ageing infrastructure, and the rise of multi-drug resistant organisms.
“For infrastructure, we have initiated a structural assessment of CWM Hospital’s existing infrastructure, and the emergency needs of its operating theatres,” he said.
“While we work to plan for the long-term future, we will ensure that our current hospital continues to meet the needs of our population today and for the next 10 years.”
Australian High Commissioner to Fiji Ewen McDonald, shared similar sentiments, and reaffirmed Australia’s support for Fiji.
Australia, he said, was also supporting “other work across CWM (Hospital) to ease patient flows and support the delivery of health services”.
He said improving clinical governance and infection prevention and control, so that patients were protected from further infections, was a key focus of the partnership.
What has happened, we hope, will get the ball rolling so to speak.
We hope it will be seen as a positive sign of development and the first steps taken in the process of getting the CWMH to reflect top international standards.
The people need that. They deserve that and the Government has a duty of care to ensure the processes are in place. But it will also need a whole-of-society effort to ensure we look after the facilities when they are upgraded, and we continue to hold power to account to ensure we are never again left in the dilemma we have just come through.
We are encouraged by the news and look forward to work progressing.