A father in mourning is calling for accountability from the Ministry of Health after he claims that medical negligence resulted in the death of his healthy 23-year-old son last Saturday. Sitiveni Johnson, from Waiyevo, Taveuni, lost his son, Ilaisa Toroca, around 6pm, alleging that excessive bleeding following a tooth extraction at Waiyevo Hospital was the cause of his death.
Mr. Johnson expressed his pain, stating, “The doctors and dental team at Taveuni Hospital murdered my son at the height of his life. What was supposed to be a simple tooth extraction turned disastrous due to the dentist’s actions.” He revealed that his son’s condition rapidly deteriorated after the procedure.
The incident has sparked public outrage on social media, where the Ministry of Health is facing criticism over the quality of services in public healthcare facilities. Attempts to reach Dr. Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu, the Minister for Health and Medical Services, for comments on this case were unsuccessful, as he declined to speak at the time.
There have been numerous complaints about delayed patient care and inadequate resources at major hospitals, including a recent water shortage at Navua Hospital, which the ministry addressed only the day before.
In outlining a series of troubling incidents, Mr. Johnson recounted that his son first went to Waiyevo Hospital nearly three weeks prior for two tooth extractions. After five days of persistent bleeding, they returned to the hospital, where a dentist used cotton wool to temporarily stop the bleeding and then sent them home.
By Friday, after his son began vomiting blood, Mr. Johnson took him back to the hospital for a third time. Despite his urgent pleas, medical officials allegedly did not facilitate his son’s transfer to Labasa Hospital until it was too late. “I had to reach out to a friend who arranged a flight, and we flew to Labasa,” he explained.
They landed at Labasa Airport around 3pm, but Ilaisa passed away three hours later, despite attempts to revive him. Mr. Johnson noted seeing an X-ray report that indicated excessive internal bleeding, expressing his despair over the delay in his son’s transport to Labasa.
Ilaisa was remembered as energetic, hardworking, and loving, and he will be laid to rest at Pagai Village, Taveuni, tomorrow. Efforts to contact Dr. Parikshath Naidu, President of the Fiji Dental Association, for comments also received no response before this article went to press.