Government investing $74M in the CWM Maternity Ward

The government is investing $74 million in the CWM Maternity Ward which will be a new facility.

Attorney General and Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed‑Khaiyum revealed this during the 2018‑2019 Budget Consultation for tertiary students held at the Fiji National University Nasinu Campus.

A student has raised the issue of shortage of beds in the Emergency Department at the CWM Hospital. He says his friend had collapsed two weeks ago and they had gone to the emergency department. The student says his friend and others could not get any beds.

He also said he was a student at the hospital and he had seen there is a shortage of beds every day.

Sayed‑Khaiyum says bed numbers have been increased but it does not mean that since the number has increased, everybody will get a bed as the demand may also have increased.

The student then said that the size of the emergency department should be increased because it is quite small.

The Minister replied it is small so the government will increase it but many good Fijian doctors have left our shores.

He says the size of the waiting room can be increased but if there are no doctors then there is no point in having a large waiting room. He says that is why the government has increased doctors’ salaries by 80%.

Sayed-Khaiyum says at the moment there is a dengue outbreak so a lot of people come in the emergency department but once the dengue goes away maybe there won’t be much waiting time.

He says there are certain medical facilities where there is a lot of pressure.

He says the Nadi hospital is becoming a problem so the government needs to expand Nadi Hospital as well.

The Minister says he is not saying that everything is good and the government obviously needs to improve the health system.

He says this is progressing.