Johnstaff International Development (JID), an Australian-owned company, has been awarded the contract to implement a $14.7 million redevelopment master plan for the Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH). This announcement was made by Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong during a ceremony held at the hospital’s Peace Garden, following a brief tour of key areas including the Emergency Department, radiology, and Maternity Ward.
Wong acknowledged the various challenges facing the hospital, including high demand for services, rising non-communicable diseases, and the effects of changing demographics and drug-related issues. After a competitive selection process, JID was chosen to lead the CWM Hospital master plan in collaboration with several partners, including GHD, Silver Thomas Hanley, and International SOS Australasia.
The investment of $14.7 million will focus on assessing the future healthcare needs of Fiji as well as the necessary infrastructure and workforce to establish a high-quality national referral hospital. Wong emphasized that an immediate and thorough engineering assessment of the current hospital buildings will be conducted to ensure continued service delivery while the master plan is being developed and implemented.
Completion of this master plan is anticipated to enhance health services across Fiji. JID’s director and acting CEO, Alison McKechnie, emphasized that a collaborative effort with subconsultants is essential to create a master plan that paves the way for a modern, suitable national referral hospital. She acknowledged that the process would be challenging and time-consuming and highlighted the need for broad consultation to ensure all voices are heard.
McKechnie also noted the importance of a rapid engineering assessment to maintain the hospital’s operations and align with long-term goals. Health Minister Dr. Atonio Lalabalavu expressed gratitude to the Australian Government for its support and welcomed the progress of this significant project.