The Colonial War Memorial (CWM) Hospital in Suva is set to enhance its medical services significantly in the coming years, thanks to a financial boost from Australia. The Australian government announced a $14.7 million investment for the redevelopment master plan of the hospital.
During her visit to Fiji for the Pacific Islands Forum Foreign Affairs Meeting in Suva, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong made the funding announcement. She emphasized the importance of renovating the CWM Hospital, stating, “Australia is investing $14.7 million to develop this master plan.”
The primary objective of this investment is to create a comprehensive master plan for the hospital that ensures continuous service while upgrading it to a modern medical facility. The Australian firm JohnStaff International Development (JID) will lead the project, which is expected to take 12 to 14 months to complete.
Ms. Wong noted, “The master plan that JohnStaff will develop and its partners will assist the future health needs of Fiji, its workforce, and the infrastructure required for a high-quality national referral hospital.” She highlighted the urgency of the renovation, stating, “If you walk through this hospital and when you talk to staff members, it’s clear that we can’t wait for the completion of that process.”
Additionally, Australia has pledged to carry out an urgent engineering assessment of the current hospital building to ensure its continued operation during the redevelopment phase. Wong expressed Australia’s commitment to improving health services and opportunities in Fiji, saying, “We are so honored, we want to keep working with you to develop better services.”
In response, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka praised Australia for its investment, reinforcing the strong partnership between the two nations. He stated, “We are very grateful towards the Australian government for giving us money to be able to redevelop our hospital.”
The Minister for Health and Medical Services, Dr. Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu, confirmed that the agreement with the Australian government has been signed and emphasized the need to assess the hospital’s infrastructure. He acknowledged the challenges of providing services while repairs are undertaken, specifically concerning space limitations.
CEO Alison McKechnie, whose team was awarded the tender, stated that the redevelopment master plan would be their main focus to ensure high-quality healthcare for Fijians. She expressed appreciation for the Fijian Government’s commitment to the project, which she described as a clear indication of the strong ties between Fiji and Australia. McKechnie added that the CWM Hospital Master Plan will serve as a transformative blueprint for the future of healthcare in Fiji.