Opposition Crossbencher MP Penioni Ravunawa is urging the Ministry of Health and Medical Services to promptly release the preliminary medical report regarding Ilaisa Toroca. The 23-year-old man passed away last Saturday at Labasa Hospital following alleged medical negligence at Waiyevo Hospital in Taveuni.
His father, Sitiveni Johnson, 49, asserts that the negligence and poor judgment of both the dentist and the doctor at Waiyevo Hospital contributed to his son’s untimely death. “The doctor in Labasa informed me that my son was transferred to Labasa Divisional Hospital in time and that he could have survived,” Johnson stated.
Johnson revealed that his son died only a few hours after being transferred from Taveuni to Labasa Hospital on the same day. He recounted that his son’s health significantly declined in Taveuni the day prior, and he persistently requested the doctor to facilitate his son’s transfer that day.
The situation escalated after a dental procedure for tooth extraction, which resulted in severe bleeding and ultimately worsened Toroca’s condition. Ravunawa emphasized that the timely release of the medical report would offer some solace to the grieving family and help restore public trust in Fiji’s healthcare system.
He noted, “The efficient and effective dissemination of information by health authorities is crucial in such circumstances.” The loss of a young son has brought immense anguish to the family, and Ravunawa expressed concern that delays in providing the official report only exacerbate frustrations among the relatives and the community.