Government clarifies per-patient payments to Aspen Medical Fiji as Lautoka hospital plans move forward
The government has clarified how funding for Health Care Fiji (HCF) – the entity behind Aspen Medical Fiji – is structured. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad said the government does not pay a fixed contract sum for Ba and Lautoka hospitals. Instead, HCF is paid for every patient treated, with the amount also reflecting the complexity of cases. Health services in Fiji’s public hospitals, including Ba and Lautoka, remain free for patients.
Ownership and operations are outlined as follows: Health Care Fiji Pte Ltd is 80% owned by the Fiji National Provident Fund and 20% by Aspen Medical of Australia. HCF operates Ba and Lautoka hospitals under the trading name Aspen Medical Fiji. The per-patient payment model means that more patients or more complex cases lead to higher government payments, while fewer patients or less complex cases reduce payments. The government has emphasized that this payment approach has not changed and that it has always linked funding to patient activity and case complexity.
Prasad also noted that the previous government signed a PPP contract with HCF in 2019. That agreement included plans for a new Lautoka Hospital and envisioned HCF commencing operations with Lautoka once building plans were finalised. In early 2022, changes were made to require immediate operation at the existing Lautoka Hospital, which created uncertainty. The current Coalition Government and HCF are working in good faith to resolve these issues and to finalise Lautoka Hospital plans.
Numbers on patient activity show that Ba and Lautoka hospitals treated about 930,000 patients in the year ending July 31, 2023, and roughly 950,000 patient episodes in the year ending July 31, 2025. The shift in the treatment mix toward more complex procedures, including cardiac services, has led to higher charges per treatment, which aligns with the per-patient-plus-complexity funding approach.
There are ongoing discussions about the broader public-private partnership and how to strengthen governance and transparency in health service delivery. Reports and officials indicate a continued review of the PPP arrangement with the aim of delivering a more robust, nationwide healthcare model. Some developments in this space include considerations to reform how outpatient medicines are dispensed, a change that would affect the current arrangements at Ba and Lautoka and is part of broader health-system reforms. The government has signalled its commitment to delivering improved healthcare outcomes, better accountability, and sustainable funding for essential services as reforms progress.
Additional comments:
– For patients and families, the core message remains that patient care at public hospitals stays free; the funding model is intended to support ongoing operations and the provision of services.
– For taxpayers, the reforms aim to create a more transparent and financially sustainable system while preserving access to essential medicines and care.
– For healthcare workers, ongoing renovations, service expansion, and governance improvements are central to delivering higher-quality care.
Summary in Fijian
Na iVola oqo e baleta na veivakatorocaketaki ni veivakadeitaki ni Health Care Fiji (HCF) kei Aspen Medical Fiji, kei na nodra veivuke na Ba kei Lautoka Hospitals. E tukuna na matanitu ni sega ni contract totolo totolo; na ilavo ni tabaki ki HCF e raica na leqa ni mate kei na leqa vakailesu, ena tubu tiko ena vuku ni vaksin ni caka me vaka na leqa. E tauri tiko na HCF 80% na FNPF kei 20% na Aspen Medical; Ba kei Lautoka Hospitals era vakayacora kina na veiqaravi e so na Matavuvale. Sa vakadinadina tiko ga na datum ni leqa ni mate: 2023 e 930,000 na itukutuku ni veiqaravi, kei na 2025 e 950,000 na itukutuku. E curu tale ki na veivakaturagataki na Lautoka Hospital kei na plan ni dua na hospital vou. E tiko tale ga na veivakadonui ni PPP me vukea na veivakatorocaketaki ni veiqaravi totolo ki vuravura, kei na veika tale me baleta na dau vakarautaki Medicines mai fora na outpatient. Na ivakarau oqo e setikale tu me vakavinakataki na veiqaravi, na leweniyau ni matanitu, kei na veitokoni vei ira na tamata vuli kei na qaravi.
Logical comments:
– The article reinforces the government’s stance that the PPP with HCF/Aspen Medical is payment-based per patient and not a fixed annual sum, while also acknowledging ongoing reform discussions and plans to renegotiate aspects of the arrangement.
– The continued emphasis on public hospital access and free services contrasts with wider reforms aimed at efficiency and sustainability, including potential outpatient medicine dispensation changes.
– The numbers on patient episodes suggest a growing service load and justify continued public investment and careful governance to balance access, quality, and cost.
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