The Colonial War Memorial (CWM) Hospital in Suva is set to enhance its medical services significantly, thanks to a $14.7 million investment from Australia aimed at a redevelopment master plan. This announcement was made by Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong during her visit to Fiji for the Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Affairs Meeting.
Minister Wong highlighted the necessity of upgrading CWM Hospital, stating, “Australia is investing $14.7 million to develop this master plan.” The investment aims to create a comprehensive plan ensuring continuous services while upgrading the hospital into a modern medical center.
The Australian firm JohnStaff International Development (JID) will lead the development of the master plan, projected to take 12 to 14 months. Wong noted that the plan will address Fiji’s future health needs and improve infrastructure for a quality national referral hospital.
She emphasized the urgency of the situation, mentioning, “If you walk through this hospital and when you talk to staff members, it’s clear that we can’t wait for the completion of that process.” Additionally, Australia has committed to conducting an urgent engineering assessment of the existing hospital structure to ensure it remains operational during the redevelopment.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka expressed gratitude to Australia for this timely support, praising the strong partnership between the two nations. The Minister for Health and Medical Services, Dr. Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu, confirmed that an agreement with the Australian government has been signed regarding the redevelopment plan and outlined strategic efforts to ensure service continuity amidst repairs.
Alison McKechnie, the chief executive officer of the winning tender, stated that the redevelopment master plan will prioritize providing high-quality healthcare to Fijians. She acknowledged the significant collaboration between the Fijian Government and Australia, emphasizing that the CWM Hospital Master Plan will lead to transformational changes in Fiji’s healthcare system.