Gavin Whiteside, CEO of ASPEN Medical, has acknowledged the significant amount of work needed at Lautoka Hospital. His comments follow a complaint from visitor Rakesh Sharma, who described the conditions in the Trauma Ward as poor. Mr. Sharma pointed out that a newly installed air conditioning unit was non-functional, with additional concerns over broken floor tiles, dirty ceiling fans, damaged armchairs, and outdated mattresses.
In Parliament last June, Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad revealed that the government was allocating nearly $10 million monthly for services at the Aspen-managed Ba and Lautoka hospitals, which account for over one fifth of the national health budget. He also mentioned the Fiji National Provident Fund’s 80% stake in Health Care Fiji Pte Ltd (HCF) as part of a public-private partnership.
Whiteside stated that as part of the partnership, Aspen is committed to delivering healthcare that meets international standards in the Western Division. He emphasized that the focus is on enhancing healthcare, which requires substantial investment in advanced equipment and staff training, expanding services such as cardiac surgery, mammography, pathology, and pediatric care.
Looking ahead, he highlighted the need for a new roof across the hospital and major renovations to facilitate the installation of an MRI and a cath lab, in addition to improvements in the Emergency Department. Whiteside acknowledged the progress made but recognized there is still much to accomplish and requested the community’s patience and support during this crucial period of improvement.