Australia has pledged $14.5 million for vital infrastructure upgrades at the Colonial War Memorial (CWM) Hospital in Fiji. The announcement was made by the Australian High Commissioner to Fiji, Ewen McDonald, during the launch of the Priority Infrastructure Plan (PIP) Report, in collaboration with Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.
The PIP Report builds on a redevelopment master plan for CWM Hospital initiated the previous year and identifies urgent infrastructure requirements essential for maintaining service delivery. This comes as Fiji anticipates the development of a new national hospital, which will take time.
Mr. McDonald emphasized the importance of the PIP report in addressing the existing challenges at CWM, stating, “The PIP includes a list of infrastructure upgrades necessary to improve the patient experience here at CWM Hospital and ensure continued delivery of high-quality care.” He highlighted that thorough engineering assessments of both CWM and St. Giles Psychiatric Hospital have pinpointed necessary urgent upgrades.
Work on these upgrades is set to commence immediately, targeting the projects outlined in the plan. However, Mr. McDonald noted that while the PIP is crucial, it is just the first step towards enhancing patient care.
To facilitate this initiative, Australia plans to work closely with the Fijian Government in establishing a project management unit within the Ministry of Health, ensuring the effective management and timely completion of the upgrades. He reaffirmed the significance of this initiative, acknowledging that the new National Hospital will not be completed overnight but will require time and effort.
Overall, this significant investment is a promising move towards improving healthcare infrastructure in Fiji, ultimately aiming to enhance the quality of healthcare services for the population.
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