Suva Private Hospital admits customers may have experienced delays

Few weeks after the issue was highlighted, the Suva Private Hospital has finally admitted that their customers may have experienced delays in their services.

Concerns were raised earlier that services at the Suva Private Hospital is normal as claimed by the hospital and that medical specialist practitioners qualified to provide specialist services are still withholding their services.

According to the Consumer Council of Fiji, 13 practitioners specialized in gynecologists, anesthetists, surgeons and obstetricians have written to the council stating that they have withheld their services and it is only in emergency situations that the specialists provided services in good faith.

Suva Private Hospital general manager David Qumivutia said they are currently negotiating the terms and conditions of the independent contracts with some of the specialists.

Qumivutia said while majority of the specialists have signed contracts and are providing services, few who are yet to sign the contract have stated that they will only provide emergency services at the hospital.

He further added that the specialists themselves determine which of their patients require emergency treatment and that Suva Private Hospital cannot force them to provide services.

Qumivutia said their medical center outpatient services are operating as normal and only elective surgery services have been affected.


Story by: Praneeta Prakash