Assistant Minister for Health Penioni Ravunawa says the Ministry will not approach private pharmacists about opening a pharmacy in Levuka, but it is up to private operators if they choose to establish a business there.
Ravunawa made the comments to fijivillage News when asked about concerns raised during the Fiji Media Association's Levuka Town Hall Forum.
Residents say the town has only one operational pharmacy, located at the hospital and when medicines are out of stock, patients are given prescriptions and often have to travel to the mainland to fill them.
On the request for an ambulance, the Assistant Minister says the Government is awaiting a new fleet of ambulances being provided by the Government of India.
He says once the ambulances arrive, the Minister for Health will allocate them based on priority, including to health centres and subdivisional hospitals that need them most.
During the Town Hall Forum, the residents highlighted the lack of an ambulance and occasional medicine shortages at the hospital, saying the issues have caused significant hardship.
Levuka Sub-Divisional Medical Officer Dr Malakai Ranuve confirmed the hospital does not have an ambulance and is currently using government vehicles to transport patients when required.
