HEALTH Minister Dr Atonio Lalabalavu has acknowledged that Fiji’s health system still requires significant work but rejected claims that it has reached “rock bottom”.
Responding to criticism from former Fiji National University College of Medicine dean and professor of surgery Eddie McCaig, Dr Lalabalavu said the Government had been working to improve the health system and had made progress across more than 200 health facilities.
“The health system, the infrastructure, the service, since taking this role, I have been trying to improve it to the best of my ability using available resources, empowering the staff and so forth,” he said.
Dr Lalabalavu said he did not agree with Prof McCaig’s assessment that the health system was at rock bottom, while acknowledging that considerable challenges remained.
“A lot, again, needs to be done.”
He said CWM Hospital remained a priority, with plans already underway to improve the facility.
Dr Lalabalavu also pointed to the Fiji Infrastructure Programme and support from the World Bank, saying these initiatives would help strengthen both services and infrastructure at CWM.
