We provided the best treatment & had stand-by power – Dr Waqainabete

A family is still wanting more answers after a 23-year-old woman died following an asthma attack at Savusavu Hospital on Sunday morning while Health Minister, Doctor Ifereimi Waqainabete says they provided the best treatment to the woman.

The deceased woman’s family member, Kiti Chapple says the woman was taken to Savusavu Hospital on Sunday morning. She says hospital staff attended to her and tried to calm her down but said there was no power at the hospital as their stand-by generator was down after Cyclone Ana took down electricity supply.

Chapple says the family was also told later that they needed to get a generator if they wanted to keep the body in the mortuary. She says they then took a generator on Sunday night to keep the body.

Doctor Waqainabete says the woman was known to the hospital staff.

He says when she came to the hospital, she received all the treatment she needed.

Doctor Waqainabete says the best option was to transfer her to Labasa Hospital however unfortunately they could not do that due to Cyclone Ana.

He also stresses that they had stand-by power to save lives although the power was not enough to keep all the lights on.

Doctor Waqainabete says the family can contact him or the Permanent Secretary for Health, Doctor James Fong for specific details.