The Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services says one of the key patient lifts at Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWMH) is back in service while work continues on several others, providing a small but immediate improvement to patient movements as a broader upgrade remains pending.
In its latest update the Ministry confirmed the East Wing lift at the hospital’s X‑Ray Department is now operational following maintenance. Repairs are still ongoing on the second lift at the Special Outpatient Department (SOPD), which officials expect will be returned to service by the end of the month. In the West Wing, work continues on the lifts serving Lancaster Ward and the Children’s Ward, with the Ministry again saying it expects those repairs to be completed before month’s end.
The Ministry noted one of the two lifts that serve Lancaster Ward — the car facing the ambulance bay — remains functional and is being used for patient transfers while the other West Wing lifts are restored. That operational lift is helping to limit disruption to emergency and scheduled patient movements, the Ministry said, even as technicians carry out urgent maintenance across the site.
The update follows a series of earlier Ministry statements that replacement lifts for CWMH are due to arrive next month and that contracted engineers are on site addressing malfunctioning equipment. Officials have previously said some lifts in the West Wing have been in continuous service for more than 15 years and highlighted the need to modernise ageing infrastructure. The latest progress at the X‑Ray Department shows some immediate fixes are being completed even as the hospital moves toward a longer‑term replacement programme.
The Ministry apologised to patients, visitors and staff for any inconvenience caused during the repair works, and reiterated that ongoing maintenance is necessary given the condition of the existing lifts. It said it is coordinating with contracted service providers and relevant agencies to complete the repairs promptly and to oversee the upcoming lift replacements.
For now, patients and families are being urged to follow any temporary access directions from hospital staff while repairs continue. The Ministry said it will provide further updates as remaining lifts are restored and as new equipment shipments arrive.
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