Fiji is facing a shortage of up to 2,000 hospital beds needed to adequately serve its population, according to Dr. Basharat Munshi, the outgoing president of the Fiji Medical Association. He made this statement during the group’s 63rd Annual Conference held at the Hilton Resort on Saturday, emphasizing that with the current population, the country requires around 3,000 hospital beds.
Dr. Munshi expressed concern that Fiji is short by approximately 1,500 to 2,000 beds. He noted that constructing new facilities to meet the necessary standards to provide optimal care would require an investment of approximately $4.46 billion.
He also highlighted ongoing challenges at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital (CWM), particularly issues surrounding operating theaters. Dr. Munshi stated that the hospital is unable to fully utilize its resources, resulting in a focus on emergency cases while elective surgeries remain on hold due to limited theater space. Although some elective surgeries have been conducted at Oceania Hospital in an effort to manage the backlog, these alternatives incur additional costs.
Furthermore, Dr. Munshi pointed out that when essential equipment like the CT scanner malfunctions, outsourcing services puts additional strain on the hospital’s budget. He expressed hope that the CWM master plan launched a month ago will provide solutions to these pressing issues.
The Minister for Health, Dr. Atonio Lalabalavu, affirmed that the CWM Master Plan is designed to address the challenges faced by the healthcare system.