A father is seeking answers from the Ministry of Health after alleging that medical negligence and inaction contributed to the death of his 23-year-old son last Saturday. Sitiveni Johnson from Waiyevo, Taveuni, reported that his son, Ilaisa Toroca, passed away around 6 PM due to excessive bleeding following complications from a tooth extraction at Waiyevo Hospital.
Mr. Johnson expressed his anger, claiming, “Taveuni Hospital doctors and the dental team murdered my son in his prime.” He described the procedure as a simple tooth extraction that turned disastrous, worsening his son’s health significantly.
After the procedure, Mr. Johnson noted that his son’s condition deteriorated quickly. This incident has sparked a wave of public outcry on social media, criticizing the Ministry of Health for inadequate service delivery in public healthcare facilities.
Attempts to reach the Minister for Health and Medical Services, Dr. Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu, for comments on the case went unanswered, with the minister stating, “Sorry, I can’t talk right now.” Numerous complaints regarding delays in patient care and a lack of resources in hospitals, including insufficient bedding, have been reported. A recent critical issue was the water shortage at Navua Hospital, which the ministry only addressed yesterday.
Describing a series of failures, Mr. Johnson recounted that his son first visited Waiyevo Hospital nearly three weeks ago to have two teeth extracted. Persistent bleeding led to a second visit five days later, where doctors allegedly used cotton wool to stop the bleeding temporarily and sent them home. On Friday, after his son began vomiting blood, Mr. Johnson returned to the hospital for a third time but claims that medical staff failed to arrange a transfer to Labasa Hospital until it was too late.
Mr. Johnson coordinated with a friend to arrange a flight, and they arrived at Labasa Airport around 3 PM, but despite efforts to save him, Ilaisa died three hours later. Mr. Johnson mentioned that he had seen an X-ray report indicating his son had excessive internal bleeding and questioned the delay in his transfer to Labasa.
Ilaisa, who was known for his energy and hard work, is set to be laid to rest at Pagai Village, Taveuni, tomorrow. An email sent to the president of the Fiji Dental Association, Dr. Parikshath Naidu, also went unanswered.