The lifts at Suva’s Colonial War Memorial (CWM) Hospital were returned to service last week, the Ministry of Health and Medical Services has confirmed, restoring access for patients, visitors and clinical staff after a period of disruption. Hospital operations have “returned to normal,” the ministry said, as repair work on the affected lift systems was completed.
Assistant Minister for Health Penioni Ravunawa expressed regret for the inconvenience caused, acknowledging the strain the outage placed on patients, their families and healthcare workers who continued to deliver critical services while the lifts were out of action. Authorities said the damage was the result of deliberate vandalism by certain visitors, not mechanical failure alone, and warned that such behaviour exacts a heavy financial toll on the health system because specialised hospital equipment is costly to repair.
Ministry officials highlighted that the outage had tangible impacts on patient care, contributing to delays and adding pressure on an already burdened workforce. With stair access for some wards limited and trolleys and stretcher movements disrupted, staff were forced to adopt contingency arrangements to maintain services while technicians worked on the lift mechanisms.
The restoration is the latest development in an ongoing effort to modernise ageing lift infrastructure at CWM. Earlier ministry communications flagged that some patient lifts had been in service for more than 15 years and that replacement equipment was being procured and coordinated with contracted suppliers. Engineers from the hospital’s lift contractor were previously reported to be on site to carry out repairs and assessments; ministry sources say those longer‑term upgrade plans remain in place alongside the immediate fixes.
In response to the vandalism episode, the ministry is moving to tighten security across hospital grounds. Measures being implemented include increased monitoring at key entry points and a review of visitor access controls to reduce the risk of further damage to equipment. Officials stressed the need for the public to respect hospital property so facilities remain safe and functional for vulnerable patients.
The ministry described the security changes as part of broader work to safeguard infrastructure and ensure consistent service delivery across the health system. While the repaired lifts have resumed operation, authorities said they will continue to pursue both preventive security measures and capital upgrades to replace older lift units, aiming to reduce the likelihood of future outages and the operational disruption they cause.
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