The Colonial War Memorial (CWM) Hospital in Suva is set to enhance its medical services, aiming to become one of the top facilities in the region, thanks to a significant investment from Australia. On Thursday, Australia announced a $14.7 million funding allocation for the hospital’s redevelopment master plan.
During her visit to Fiji for the Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Affairs Meeting, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong made this announcement. She recognized the urgent need for renovations at CWM Hospital.
“This investment will support the development of a master plan,” Wong stated. The objective of the investment is to provide a framework for modernizing the hospital while ensuring that services continue without interruption, ultimately transforming it into a state-of-the-art medical facility.
JohnStaff International Development (JID), an Australian-based company, has been appointed as the lead consultant for the master plan, which is expected to take approximately 12 to 14 months to complete. Wong voiced confidence that the plan, created by JohnStaff and its collaborators, will address Fiji’s future healthcare needs and the infrastructure needed for an effective national referral hospital.
She noted, “If you walk through this hospital and speak to staff, it’s evident that we cannot delay this process.” Furthermore, Australia has pledged to carry out an urgent engineering assessment of the existing hospital to ensure it can continue to operate during the planning and implementation phases.
Wong remarked, “We are honored to support this initiative and look forward to collaborating further to enhance services and create more inclusive opportunities.”
Fiji’s Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka praised the Australian government’s timely investment, highlighting the strong partnership between Fiji and Australia. “We are grateful for the funding provided by Australia to help redevelop our hospital,” Rabuka said.
Dr. Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu, Fiji’s Minister for Health and Medical Services, confirmed the signing of the agreement with the Australian government for the redevelopment master plan. He discussed the need for infrastructure assessments to guide the renovation process while maintaining essential services despite space challenges in the current hospital setup.
Chief Executive Officer Alison McKechnie, whose firm won the tender, emphasized that the redevelopment master plan would be their primary focus to ensure high-quality healthcare for Fijians. She acknowledged the Fijian Government’s commitment to this important project, stating, “This initiative reflects the strong ties between Fiji and Australia. The CWM Hospital Master Plan will serve as a blueprint for transformative change in Fiji’s healthcare system.”