Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka told Parliament that strengthening Fiji’s health sector is a central priority for his government, outlining a package of measures aimed at expanding capacity, improving access and shoring up the health workforce.
Speaking during his Right of Reply to the President’s Address, Rabuka said the administration is directing investment toward the recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals, upgrading hospitals and health centres, and improving medical supply chains. He also highlighted stepped-up efforts to strengthen rural and maritime outreach services, saying these measures are designed to address persistent gaps in access to care outside urban centres.
One of the most concrete initiatives Rabuka announced is work under way to prepare 300‑bed specialty hospitals. He said the project is intended not only to expand capacity for specialised medical services but also to boost domestic training and specialist delivery by increasing the Fiji National University Postgraduate Education Group’s ability to provide advanced care within the country. The Prime Minister framed this as part of a broader push to reduce reliance on overseas referrals for complex treatment.
Rabuka acknowledged that health facilities and staffing shortages remain significant challenges, but argued the reforms are strategic and aimed at long‑term improvement for all Fijians. “Investment is being done and will be directed towards recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals, upgrading hospitals and health centres, improving medical supply chains, strengthening rural and maritime health outreach services,” he said in Parliament.
The national-level commitments come against a backdrop of ongoing local projects aimed at improving access. Recent reporting on Namosi, for example, documented plans for a new community health centre to serve several districts that currently require costly travel by boat to reach the nearest clinic or hospital. Rabuka’s emphasis on rural and maritime outreach signals the government intends to link such local infrastructure projects to wider workforce and logistics improvements.
Details on funding, timelines and the locations of the proposed specialty hospitals were not provided in Parliament, and the government has yet to publish an implementation schedule. The Prime Minister’s statement sets expectations for further announcements on recruitment drives, facility upgrades and the operational plan for the FNU postgraduate expansion. Health sector stakeholders and communities in rural areas will be watching for concrete delivery plans and short‑term measures to relieve current service pressures.
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