There is a highly concerning situation at the CWM Hospital as the only operational lift in the East Wing which is used to take patients to the operating theatres, the Intensive Care Unit and Acute Wards, has now broken down.
We have received confirmation that the two most critical lifts at CWM Hospital are now not operational.
According to the doctors who have spoken to fijivillage News, the main lift in the East Wing has not worked for a long time.
This is the lift at the Specialist Outpatients Department (SOPD) that is supposed to take patients to the operating theatres, the Intensive Care Unit and the Acute Wards.
The second that has stopped working yesterday is near the Radiography Department, and this was the only lift that could take patients to the operating theatres, the Intensive Care Unit and the Acute Wards.
Medical experts on the ground say this lift was previously used to transport waste from the operating theatres, while the main lift was used to transport patients.
With the main lift breaking down, the second lift was used to transport patients and the waste from the operating theatres.
They say this is already a serious concern as the patients are being taken to a sterile place but transported in the same lift used to take waste.
With the lifts not working, the patients cannot go into the Intensive Care Unit, so they are admitted in the operating theatres.
This will further cause huge delays to major surgeries as patients recover in the theatres.
Medical experts who have spoken to fijivillage News say it is now a sad situation as the doctors now have to justify which patient needs to be prioritised for surgeries.
To make matters worse, only 4 out of 8 operating theatres are running at the CWM Hospital at the moment. The other theatres are still not ready for use.
The medical experts say the issue is that the most important lifts have not been installed, and this is a very concerning situation.
When we questioned Minister for Health, Doctor Atonio Lalabalavu, he confirmed the lift that was operational is down and initial investigation shows a damaged part from the user.
He says the current vendor is on site to try and rectify the situation to allow the lift to be operational again and the aim is to have it operational by today.
Doctor Lalabalavu says CWM Hospital has plans to ensure service delivery has limited disruption during this period.
The Health Minister says these are very old lifts and will need to be changed.
He adds the new lifts for the East Wing have arrived and are in the country.
Doctor Lalabalavu says the installation will begin soon and there will be proper planning to ensure that service delivery has limited disruptions.
No time frame has been given.
Stay with us for developments.
