Govt looking into investigating how Health Care Fiji was formed

The Government will be looking at starting an investigation into how Health Care Fiji, which runs the Ba and Lautoka Hospitals was formed as legal requirements were not met and FNPF was ordered by the previous Government to take up an 80 percent stake in it.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Professor Biman Prasad says FNPF had not bid to be part of the Aspen project for Ba and Lautoka Hospitals.

He says FNPF took 80 percent of its shares with 20 percent for Aspen.

He adds FNPF was given no option, and it was given no chance to evaluate this investment for itself or to work out its economic return.

The Deputy Prime Minister says however, Health Care Fiji has said to the Government that it will work with them to reach a service agreement.

While responding to questions by fijivillage News on whether an investigation will be done on how Health Care Fiji was set up, Professor Prasad says this is something that can be looked at when a renegotiation is being done between FNPF and Aspen.

He says right now, their focus is to move the project ahead with the appropirate negotiations.

Professor Prasad further says unfortunately, the services in the Ba and Lautoka Hospitals are costing about $10 million per month or about $120 million per year.

He says these two hospitals, alone, are consuming more than one-fifth of the entire national health budget.