THE Ministry of Health and Medical Services has commissioned a newly-refurbished medical vessel Nasi Yalodina to serve the Yasawa and Mamanuca groups.
The vessel is expected to significantly enhance the safe transport of patients from maritime health facilities to higher-level medical centres for urgent care.
Minister for Health and Medical Services Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu emphasised that for many island communities, the sea acts as both a lifeline and a barrier.
”In medical emergencies, time is critical. Safe, reliable, and efficient patient transport can mean a difference in life and death,” he said.
Mr Lalabalavu said while the ministry was addressing urban needs in Lautoka, it also recognised that challenges to access were even more prevalent in maritime communities.
”Healthcare equity means that, whether you live in Lautoka, or in a remote island in the south, your right to timely and quality medical care remains the same.”
