$540 million is adequate for Health Ministry to deliver effective services – Dr Lalabalavu

Allocation of $540 million for the Ministry of Health for the next financial year is adequate to effectively deliver health programmes and achieve favourable outcomes in the health services through the upgrading and improvement of healthcare facilities and support systems.

While speaking in support of the 2024-2025 National Budget, Minister for Health Doctor Atonio Lalabalavu says through establishing innovative and collaborative partnerships for a resilient health system, they can transform primary healthcare approach to achieve universal health coverage and instilling a culture of wellness that empowers the communities to live a productive life.

Dr Lalabalavu says they are making primary healthcare a priority as the Leader of Opposition, Inia Seruiratu had raised issues on the approaches for primary healthcare.

He says the Ministry is aware that the way forward is through prevention, is still better than cure and people would have seen that most of the developments by one of thieir development partners, mostly centered in the province of Tailevu.

At the beginning of the next month, they will be commissioning the new Dogo Health Facility in Tailevu.

The Minister says the proposed increase in salaries of civil service and the increase in minimum wage to $5 are clear indications of the Coalition Government's commitment towards workers in the country.

Dr Lalabalavu highlighted that $12 million has been allocated for capital projects and maintenance work which will focus on the prioritised projects such as the interior works of Labasa Hospital, the refurbishment of the Savusavu Health Facility, and the construction of a new rehabilitation centre in Tamavua which a 4 year project sponsored by KOIKA.

He says the Ministry also welcomes the allocation of $3.8 million for minor works, which represents an increase of $0.8 million from the current year and which will allow the divisional teams to promptly work on much-needed repairs and minor renovations for our health facilities while the allocation of $96 million for drugs and medical equipment, which is an increase in $4 million from this financial year, will be managed by the Fiji Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Services.

The Minister adds that he fully supports 2024/2025 National Budget.