Opposition Crossbencher MP Penioni Ravunawa is urging the Ministry of Health and Medical Services to promptly publish the preliminary medical report concerning Ilaisa Toroca.
Toroca, 23, passed away last Saturday at Labasa Hospital, following what has been described as medical negligence at Waiyevo Hospital in Taveuni. His father, Sitiveni Johnson, 49, asserts that the negligence and poor decisions made by both the dentist and doctor at Waiyevo Hospital contributed to his son’s untimely death.
“The doctor in Labasa informed me that my son had been transferred to Labasa Divisional Hospital in time, and he could have survived,” Johnson stated. He noted that his son died just hours after being airlifted from Taveuni to the Labasa facility on the same day.
Johnson expressed his concerns, explaining that his son’s condition significantly worsened on Friday in Taveuni, prompting him to continually request that his son be transferred that day. The situation escalated following a two-tooth extraction that resulted in continuous bleeding, ultimately leading to a fatal outcome for Toroca, a former employee at Legend’s Fuel Station.
Ravunawa emphasized the importance of releasing the report to alleviate some distress for the grieving family and to help restore public confidence in Fiji’s healthcare system. “Timely and effective communication from health authorities is crucial in such circumstances,” he stated.
The MP acknowledged that the loss of a young son has inflicted considerable emotional strain on the bereaved family. He concluded by noting that any further delay in releasing the official report would only exacerbate the frustration felt by the family and their community.