The father of a 17-year-old boy is still waiting for his son to receive further medical assessment after he was unable to be transferred from Nadi Hospital to Lautoka Hospital for a CT scan, with Health Minister Dr Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu saying the issue is not a shortage of beds, but a shortage of hospital space.
Speaking to fijivillage News, Mohammed Kalam says his son was admitted to Nadi Hospital at around 5pm last Friday after he began bleeding from the nose and feeling weak.
Kalam says doctors planned to transfer his son to Lautoka Hospital for a CT scan, but the family was later informed that there was no available bed.
He says they were told the transfer would take place on Sunday, but no bed became available, and the family eventually took their son home.
Kalam says they have still not received an update on when his son will be able to receive the required medical assessment.
He is questioning why there are not enough hospital beds to accommodate patients requiring specialised care.
Responding to questions from fijivillage News, Dr Lalabalavu says Fiji has hospital beds available, but the lack of physical space limits how many beds can be accommodated.
He says hospitals can only fit a certain number of beds within their allocated space.
Dr Lalabalavu says the Ministry of Health is working on a replacement and improvement programme.
He says Nadi Hospital now has a new ultrasound scan machine, while an existing X-ray table-mounted machine is also available.
However, Kalam's concern remains focused not only on his son's delayed access to further medical assessment and the CT scan, but also on other patients who may face similar challenges.
fijivillage News is continuing to follow up on the case and the availability of hospital beds and specialised services for patients requiring further assessment.
Stay with us for updates.
