It is going to be a difficult task but we have clearly put our focus on the maintenance of our existing infrastructure, and overall improvements in service delivery.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Professor Biman Prasad stated this during his delivery of the 2023/202 National Budget adding the delivery of health services in Fiji has been far from satisfactory and our public health facilities are in a state of decay.
He says over the years there has been a complete lack of investment in improving the infrastructure of not only in the country’s largest hospitals CWM and Lautoka, but all across our health facilities in Fiji.
Professor Prasad further says he has stated this publicly and there is no denying that we have never had such bad health services in the independent history of our nation.
He says they are going to give this the highest priority not only in this budget but also in all their future budgets.
Professsor Prasad says the Ministry of Health and Medical Services has been allocated a budget of $453.8 million, this is a significant increase of $58.7 million from this year.
He says the salaries and wages budget for the Ministry have increased to $126.4 million.
The Deputy Prime Minister further says they are providing $11.6 million for the upgrade of nurses salaries and overtime.
Prof. Prasad says this is to cater for the 250 Intern Nurses to move up to become registered Nurses, 237 new Intern Nurses, 46 Nursing Assistants, 50 Nursing Aides, 40 Midwives, 94 Medical Laboratory scientists and additional support staff in various hospitals and non-medical officers for the Fiji Pharmaceutical & Biomedical Services to strengthen capacity and improve procurement efficiency.
He further says these additional positions will help improve the service gaps and address the current capacity needs within the Ministry.
The Deputy Prime Minister says the nursing assistant and nurse aide positions have been created to support our nurses focus on their core role, where these aides and assistants will take over the non-clinical responsibilities like making the bed, getting the consumables, and other time consuming tasks that used to keep the nurses occupied.
He further says they are providing over $63 million for public health programmes, Emergency Radiology and Laboratory Services, procurement of drugs, consumables, medicines, and purchase of bio-medical equipment and accessories.
Prof. Prasad says they are working together with the Ministry of Health to ensure the timely and efficient procurement of the drugs, consumables and biomedical equipment accessories.
He further says a sum of $2.5 million is allocated for the Kidney Dialysis Treatment Subsidy.
The Deputy Prime Minister says the allocation has been increased by $1.0 million from this year’s level to cater for the increase in the dialysis subsidy from the current $150 per session to $180.
He further says a sum of $16.4 million is allocated for the upgrade and maintenance of urban hospitals and institutional quarters, permanent walkway for the maternity hospital at CWM, purchase, installation and replacement of ICT equipment, and a major interior upgrade of Labasa hospital.
Prof. Prasad says the Ministry of Finance through the Strategic Planning Office will work very closely with Ministry of Health and Ministry of Public Works to ensure efficient and timely maintenance of our hospitals and health centres as this has been a major problem as well as assist in the strengthening of the asset management unit of Ministry of Health.
He further says they cannot build new hospitals or health centres if they are not able to maintain what they have right now.
The Finance Minister says some of the hospitals and health centres do not need large amounts of money to upgrade. Some simply need a few window louvres, the replacement of missing tiles, painting, roof repairs, fixing of doors and mosquito netting on windows.
He says they can easily do this.
The Deputy Prime Minister further says the previous Government had tried to expand the coverage of healthcare services through an outsourcing model to engage the service of private general practitioner’s dental operators and medical laboratories during the pandemic.
He says from 1st August 2023, only patients with a combined household income of $30,000 or less per annum can qualify for the free services at the private practitioners.
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