A NUMBER of healthcare workers at Labasa Hospital continue to wait for overtime pay.
The hospital’s medical superintendent, Dr Jaoji Vulibeci, said those staff would be paid for September and October, and that government support would follow for November onwards.
“I know they are going to be paid, we have funds for September and October, and from November, their files will be processed,” he said.
All staff, Dr Vulibeci said, were waiting for the Government’s approval.
“When they will be paid is not clear, but they will be paid for sure,” he said.
Assistant Minister for Health Penioni Ravunawa said the ministry only made recommendations regarding overtime payments.
“The Minister of Civil Service sets the circular, policy, and guidelines for overtime, including duration and applicable cadres,” he said.
Mr Ravunawa said they would find ways to resolve the issue of unpaid overtime.
Power delays halt services
PATIENTS will have to wait a few more months for critical medical services at the Labasa Hospital as delays in the essential electrical upgrade continue to stall the operation of key facilities, including the CT scan.
Hospital medical superintendent Dr Jaoji Vulibeci said funds for the electrical upgrade had just been released.
“The responsible ministry now has to procure the required items, which will take at least two to three months, and then another month before the work can start.”
Patients requiring emergency CT scans are being referred to Zen’s Medical.
The same power upgrade has also delayed the commissioning of the hospital’s incinerator, which is expected to be operational this week.
“We are also waiting for the electrical upgrade for the incinerator,” Dr Vulibeci said.
Ongoing space constraints have further strained services at the Northern Division’s main hospital.
With no room to construct new buildings, the hospital has resorted to using commercial containers for storage and workspaces.
“We use commercial containers right now for storage and working space.
“One good example is the containerised laboratory. We did this because there is no space for a new laboratory.”
The delays come two years after a much-needed CT scan machine arrived at Labasa Hospital, but remains unusable.
He said the situation was outside the hospital’s control.
“We’re currently waiting for a power upgrade to make it operational.
“That falls under the ministry’s responsibilities.”
Although the CT scan machine has been physically installed, it cannot function without a critical electrical upgrade, including the installation of a new transformer.
Medicine shortage hits North
HEALTH centres in the North have raised concerns over the shortage of certain medicines.
While raising this, the Assistant Health Minister, Penioni Ravunawa, said at least 10 per cent of medicines were not in stock at health centres.
“About 90 per cent of the necessary medicines are already in stock. The remaining 10 per cent can always be negotiated with the Fiji Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Services,” he said.
Mr Ravunawa said generic medicines were available and could be administered at the point of care, while specialised medicines were tightly controlled by the FPBS.
“It’s not that they won’t get them. When needed, our system ensures they are supplied.”
He said medicines were only supplied based on demand; they were not stock drugs that may not be used.
“Health centres are expected to place supplementary orders through the MSupply tablet system, drawing supplies as well to the Tulo warehouse, which was opened in April.”
He said about 200 health facilities were now using the M-Supply tablet to place orders and track usage, adding there should be no supply issues if staff consistently update records.
“The warehouse can monitor inventory at any health facility if officers update their records accurately.”
To ease the burden of ordering medicines, he said solar power plants have been installed, and they have improved internet access at all centres across the country.
