Changes to the Concession Agreement (CA) between Healthcare Fiji (Pte) Ltd and the Government are necessary, acknowledging that the deal was crafted before the COVID-19 pandemic, says Aspen Medical Fiji chief executive officer Gavin Whiteside.
Mr Whiteside said lessons learned during the pandemic, along with shifts in the healthcare landscape and a change in Government, required amendments to the 2019 agreement.
“The amendments that need to come into play were all put together pre-COVID and we learned a lot of lessons during COVID,” Mr Whiteside said.
Talks to update the CA are progressing well, with the first round of discussions for the year held in Suva last week involving Healthcare Fiji, Aspen Medical and Government representatives.
“We were privileged to spend time in Suva with the Minister of Finance and his team and representatives of the shareholders to progress the positive talks on the CA addendum,” he said.
Minister of Finance Esrom Immanuel said Government hoped to finalise the amended agreement in March.
“It is a united effort to progress what is a very important public-private partnership for Fiji,” Mr Immanuel said.
Aspen raises ambulance service shortfall in deal
LAUTOKA and Ba hospitals do not provide ambulance housecall services to the public — a limitation Aspen Medical Fiji says it hopes to address in ongoing Concession Agreement (CA) talks with the Government.
Aspen Medical Fiji chief executive officer Gavin Whiteside said current arrangements only allowed for patient transfers between Lautoka and Ba hospitals.
“Under the agreement, we provide transfer services and those transfers are between the facilities,” Mr Whiteside said, acknowledging public concern over access to ambulance services.
“There are always case-bycase situations and challenges.”
He confirmed the issue had been raised during discussions to amend the CA between Healthcare Fiji Pte
Ltd and Government.
“Wherever possible and operationally approved, working with the Ministry of Health we will assist, but it is
certainly a point we have tabled.
“These are the measures we are looking at to strengthen the Concession Agreement and make it fit for purpose for 2026 and beyond.”
Minister of Finance Esrom Immanuel said he wanted a “give and take relationship” under the revised
agreement.
“We want every Fijian in need of healthcare — whether in Lau, Kadavu, Lautoka or Ba — to be able to access services,” he said.
