CWM Hospital was built as a remembrance for Fiji citizens who fought in the first World War – Dr Lalabalavu

As we honour our fallen heroes on Remembrance Day today, we also launch the centennial celebration for Fiji’s only War Memorial hospital.

Minister for Health and Medical Services, Dr Atonio Lalabalavu highlighted this earlier today at the CWM Peace Garden today to launch the centennial celebration for the Colonial War Memorial Hospital as well as remembering our servicemen and service women.

He says the CWM Hospital was built and completed at the end of 1923 as a remembrance for Fiji citizens who fought in the first World War of 1914 – 1918.

Dr Lalabalavu says it replaced the Colonial Hospital, which was first built in Levuka, and later relocated to Walu Bay in Suva in 1894, some 12 years after the capital city had moved to Suva.

The Minister says to the memory of those who have gone before, we will continue to give our best today and tomorrow, to provide the best service we can give to all who come to the hospital for health care.

He says to commemorate this launch, they are going to plant 100 trees around the hospital today and over the next month of celebration to mark this special occasion.

Dr Lalabalavu says he believes that there are Sekoula trees at the front of the original hospital that have been there since the beginning of the hospital.

He adds just like the resilience of these trees, people can look forward to the resilience of health services from CWM Hospital in the next 100 years to come.