Partnership between the private and public sector is instrumental in ensuring effective and quality healthcare is accessible to all people – especially those in rural areas.
This was one of the messages highlighted by general practitioner Dr Shanita Devi Sen, one of the panellists at a plenary session on healthcare at the National Economic Summit (NES) on Thursday.
She said access to quality healthcare services was a fundamental human right and it remained the goal of every country that they should strive to achieve it.
“In Fiji, access to quality healthcare services remains a challenge, particularly for those living in the remote and rural areas, the vulnerable women and children,” she said.
“However, achieving universal healthcare is a daunting task and it requires the collaboration of various stakeholders, including us the private sector.
“So the private hospitals and those clinics that play a critical role in achieving universal healthcare in Fiji and the healthcare providers are often treated by the desire to attract and retain patients to achieve this.”
She said private hospitals must invest in modern equipment, hire skilled professionals, implement initiative healthcare practices to improve their services and raise standard of healthcare.
According to Dr Sen, initiatives such as the public-private general practitioner program, where Fijians could access the services of private doctors, was one way of ensuring greater reach of health services to a greater population.
“As we all know healthcare is often expensive and many people cannot afford to pay out of their pockets, so we work in partnership to provide affordable healthcare services.”
She said the program engaged about 44 GPs, four dental specialists, seven laboratories and all private pharmacies under the free medicine scheme.
