FIJI Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry warned against government plans to review hospital fees and introducing a national health insurance scheme.
A story published by The Fiji Times on December 9, 1992, quoted Mr Chaudhry as saying the proposals were of serious concern to the Fiji Labour Party, stressing that healthcare must remain accessible to all.
“We would not like to see any policy initiated which would penalise the poor in this country. For years, health facilities have been fairly accessible to all our people, and I think we should continue in this line,” he said.
He strongly criticised the idea of introducing user-pay health services, arguing that income inequality must be considered.
“It’s all very well to talk about user-pay systems, but we must consider whether a poor villager can afford to pay what a rich man pays for such services.”
Mr Chaudhry emphasised that no one should be denied proper medical care due to inability to pay.
“Any minister who goes for this had better have another thought on this.”
On the proposed national health insurance scheme, Mr Chaudhry said Parliament had not been given sufficient details.
“Whatever policy the Government has should have the welfare of the people at heart.”
He said Parliament should be kept informed rather than the Government making and implementing decisions unilaterally.
Several Members of Parliament also raised concerns during the debate:
-Maan Singh called for a ban on smoking in all public places.
-Dr Kanhaiya Simadri said Parliament should have a resident doctor and basic medical facilities, recalling the incident when Ram Sumeshwar Yadav collapsed in Parliament, and it took 30 minutes to get him to the hospital.
-Ratu Mosese Tuisawau urged greater emphasis on preventive healthcare.
-Vinod Patel questioned whether the $231,000 allocation for the Ba Methodist Hospital was sufficient to run the hospital.
Health Minister Leo Smith responded that the hospital was not government-run but that the Government was considering taking it over in the near future.
