HOSPITALS across Fiji deliver essential care every day. Under the Fiji-Australia Vuvale Partnership, Australia is supporting Fiji to strengthen health infrastructure so services remain safe, reliable and accessible now and into the future.
Planning for a New National Referral Hospital
Australia is working with the Fiji Government on a Master Plan for a new national referral hospital, a long-term roadmap for transforming clinical services and the infrastructure that supports them.
The Master Plan is not merely a set of drawings. It is a comprehensive pathway to health system change – setting a 30-year vision for service delivery, assessing workforce needs, and mapping the infrastructure required to meet future demand. Australia has committed approximately FJD14.7million to deliver the Master Plan by 2027.
Keeping CWM Hospital Safe and Operational
A new national hospital will take time, which is why Australia is working with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services to deliver urgent upgrades at CWM Hospital to improve safety and maintain day-to-day operations.
These works include roofing repairs across multiple hospital buildings to address leaks and water damage, upgrades to the Acute Patient Ward (more bathrooms, improved accessibility, plus pantry, staff room and sluice rooms), installation of a new 200,000-litre water tank with filtration and pump systems to stabilise supply, and remediation of the Maternity Building’s sewer line to improve sanitation.
These practical improvements address long-standing issues, extend the life of critical assets, and help ensure safe, continuous care while a new national hospital is planned.
Strengthening Services Across the Divisions
Australia’s support also improves access to health services across Fiji.
- Labasa Divisional Hospital
- new containerised medical waste incinerator has replaced unsafe disposal practices, strengthening infection prevention and control for patients, health workers, and surrounding communities.
Vunisea Hospital, Kadavu
Australia is supporting a major refurbishment of Vunisea Hospital, Kadavu’s only sub-divisional hospital. Works include:
• Upgrades to wards, the staff room, toilets and bathrooms;
• Improved diagnostics, pharmacy and maternity facilities;
• A dedicated birthing unit and a gender-based violence room;
• Upgrades to waiting areas, roofing, walkways, windows, and verandas; and
• Improved electrical systems, plumbing, water supply, drainage, mechanical systems, data cabling, and fire safety.
These improvements support care for around 11,000 people, reduce the need for travel to Suva, and strengthen the hospital’s ability to withstand extreme weather.
Waiyevo Hospital, Taveuni
Upgrades at Waiyevo Hospital will improve safety, functionality, and disaster resilience. Works include:
• Refurbishment of wards, theatres, maternity and emergency areas;
• Upgraded staff and recovery rooms, bathrooms, nurses’ stations, and waiting areas;
• A cyclone-rated roof;
• A new children’s play area; and
• Improvements to electrical systems, plumbing, water supply, drainage, mechanical systems and fire safety.
These upgrades support access to essential hospital services for around 17,000 people in Taveuni and nearby islands.
A Practical Partnership in Action
Australia works closely with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services and CWM Hospital leadership to deliver these projects. Engagement of Fiji-registered consultants, contractors, and suppliers is prioritised – strengthening local expertise and retain economic benefits in Fiji.
Under the Vuvale Partnership, Australia and Fiji are delivering practical improvements today while planning responsibly for tomorrow – helping hospitals stay open, improving access to care, and strengthening Fiji’s health system for the future.
From left: Ratu Epeli Lewenilovo, Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Atonio Lalabalavu and Australia’s High Commissioner to Fiji Peter Roberts. Picture: SUPPLIED
