A woman injured in a road accident in Labasa on Monday is expressing concerns regarding the medical treatment she received.
Aruna Devi, 55, was traveling with her granddaughter in a shipping company bus that collided with a sugarcane truck in Seaqaqa, Macuata. She claims the medical response following the incident was insufficient.
Devi, a mother of four, was one of five passengers injured in the accident and believes that she and the others should have received priority for emergency treatment to manage their bleeding and pain.
“The nurse at the Seaqaqa Health Centre instructed us to wait for the doctor before we could receive any treatment,” she explained. “I was in severe pain, along with the other passengers, and had to endure at least an hour at the health centre while blood dripped from my mouth.”
She was later transferred to the Nasea Health Centre for further care. “At Nasea, the nurse asked me to obtain a ticket and wait in the queue, as it was the protocol,” she recalled, adding that more consideration should have been given, with nurses directing them to the emergency department for immediate care.
Recognizing the delay, she took a taxi to the Labasa Divisional Hospital for treatment of her injuries, where she received care for the cuts to her mouth.
Attempts to reach Divisional Medical Officer Northern, Dr. Tiko Saumalua, for comments were unsuccessful.
Devi, a frequent ferry traveler, noted that this was her first experience with such an accident. She stated she bears no blame towards the shipping company or the driver, asserting that the incident was not the driver’s fault. Following the accident, she booked a flight to travel to Suva.
“I am still shaken from the accident and will not be taking a ferry anytime soon; I will prefer flights instead,” she stated.
Divisional Police Commander North, Senior Superintendent of Police Kemueli Baledrokadroka, confirmed that a report of the accident was received on Monday.