ONLY 19 ambulances are operational nationwide, with 10 out of service and undergoing repairs.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka confirmed this in his ‘A Conversation with the PM’ column, where he directly responds to queries from citizens who write to The Fiji Times’ Letters to the Editor.
The Prime Minister addressed the challenges but insisted the Government is actively addressing the issue.
“There are currently 19 operational ambulances in service across the country, while 10 ambulances are nonoperational and in garages,” the Prime Minister said.
He revealed that major hospitals such as CWMH have just three working ambulances, with two out of service.
Labasa Hospital has three operational units and one in the garage, while the Eastern Division has no operational ambulances at all, with two awaiting repairs.
Despite the grim figures, Mr Rabuka stressed that ambulance services whether public or outsourced from the private sector remained free of charge for all patients.
He acknowledged the system’s shortcomings but emphasised that measures are being put in place to strengthen capacity and oversight.
“A National Ambulance Committee is being established to oversee improvements in service delivery and fleet management,” Mr Rabuka said, adding that appointments to the committee are currently
underway.
In the meantime, divisional health budgets are being used to maintain and upgrade ambulances.
These efforts include regular maintenance, fuel card issuance, proper signage, installation of infection-prevention upholstery, and the provision of life-saving equipment such as portable defibrillators and
cardiac monitor mounts.
Mr Rabuka reiterated that ambulance services are a “vital component” of the country’s healthcare delivery and said the Government remains committed to restoring and enhancing emergency response capacity across all divisions.
