Fiji is facing a significant shortage of hospital beds, with a deficit of approximately 2,000 beds needed to adequately serve the nation’s population. This concern was raised by Dr. Basharat Munshi, the outgoing president of the Fiji Medical Association, during the organization’s 63rd Annual Conference held at the Hilton Resort.
Dr. Munshi emphasized that to meet the healthcare needs of the current population, Fiji requires around 3,000 hospital beds. He estimated the shortfall to be between 1,500 and 2,000 beds, outlining that upgrading facilities to meet necessary standards would come at a cost of approximately $4.46 billion.
The challenges at Colonial War Memorial (CWM) Hospital were also highlighted. Dr. Munshi pointed out ongoing issues with operating theater availability, which restricts the hospital’s capacity to perform elective surgeries. Currently, the focus is primarily on emergency cases, leading to a backlog of elective procedures that remain on waiting lists. Some of these elective surgeries have been carried out at Oceania Hospital, but this comes with additional expenses.
Dr. Munshi noted that equipment failures, such as breakdowns of the CT scan, result in increased outsourcing costs, further straining the hospital’s budget. He expressed hope that the recently launched CWM master plan would help address these persistent challenges.
In response, the Minister for Health, Dr. Atonio Lalabalavu, affirmed that the CWM Master Plan aims to tackle these critical issues within the healthcare system.