A VETERAN seafarer has questioned why frontline medical teams are still being transported in small fibreglass boats decades after government-operated medical vessels once served Fiji’s maritime communities.
Operations manager of the inter-island passenger vessel MV Yavirau, Raivolita Uluilakeba raised the concerns in a social media post while reacting to the disappearance of six Ministry of Health officials in Lau waters on Wednesday.
The six healthcare workers went missing while travelling by boat on an official outreach mission, prompting a major multi-agency search and rescue operation.
Reflecting on his years with the former Fiji Marine Department in the 1980s, Mr Uluilakeba said medical ships were once strategically stationed across the country to transport medical teams and respond to emergencies.
“Just resting on MV Yavirau at Lakeba, and gazing out to sea with silent hopes for the missing,” Mr Uluilakeba wrote.
“Thinking back, to those days in the Fiji Marines, mid 80s, where I began my seafaring career, the Fiji Marine Department (now GSS) had medical ships stationed around the country, all manned by Fiji Marine Government crew.
“We had MV Vuniwai ni Lau stationed in Lakeba and another stationed in Vanuabalavu, at Levuka we had the Cagi mai Ra.
“These medical ships were everywhere.”
Mr Uluilakeba said the vessels were specifically designed to support healthcare delivery to Fiji’s maritime islands.
“Their main purpose ??…we’re to standby for medical emergencies and transport medical staff on their frequent tours to their districts.
“These ships could transfer patients, had showers, galley and comfortable beds for medical staff.”
Questioning the current state of maritime health transport, he wrote:
“So here we are decades forward, and our medical staff are still being transported in fibreglass boats.
“So where did we go wrong?
“Did bringing in a moving eight (8) million dollar hospital ship, MV Veivueti solve the problem?”
