Fiji’s healthcare system is experiencing significant challenges, despite an increase in budget allocations, as outlined by Opposition Member of Parliament Premila Kumar. During a parliamentary debate on the Ministry of Health and Medical Services’ annual reports for 2016-2021, Kumar pointed to a myriad of issues plaguing the sector, including staffing shortages and unutilized funding, which she attributed to poor government strategy.
Kumar raised alarming instances of recent nursing graduates waiting up to six months for job placement, while current medical staff are overworked. She emphasized the shortage of midwives, revealing there are only 200 available to serve 300,000 childbearing women. With the migration of 500 midwives last year and only 50 new midwives trained annually through Australian Government sponsorship — and no binding agreement to remain in Fiji — Kumar underscored the detrimental impact this has on women’s health.
Moreover, she criticized the government’s failure to fully utilize the 2023-2024 health budget, pointing out that significant sums allocated for staff quarters, Labasa Hospital upgrades, special maintenance, and necessary medical supplies remained unspent. Kumar also flagged that despite rising mental health concerns, funding for St Giles Psychiatric Hospital has been reduced.
Minister for Finance Biman Prasad responded to Kumar’s comments, accusing the opposition of overlooking past challenges faced during their time in government and urged for an acknowledgment of previous shortcomings. He defended the current budget, claiming it represents a marked improvement, amounting to about 4% of Fiji’s GDP, and noted the government’s willingness to undergo a comprehensive review to tackle issues within the health sector.
In summary, while the Fijian healthcare system is currently struggling with staffing and funding issues, there is an ongoing dialogue in parliament suggesting a recognition of these challenges and a government commitment to review and improve the system. This acknowledgment of problems, combined with budget increases, may pave the way for future reforms aimed at strengthening healthcare services.
It is essential to remain hopeful that with increased dialogue and attention to the healthcare challenges, the system will eventually see the changes needed to better support its healthcare professionals and patients alike.
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