Last Updated on 9 years by Publishing Team

The Hon. Minister for Health & Medical Services Mr Jone Usamate visited the Nasau Health Center and Tokaimalo Nursing Station in Ra to identify areas that need improvement.

During the visits Mr Usamate was updated on issues such as, transportation, water supply, access to health facilities, medicine supplies, and health facilities/staff quarters requiring renovations.

“These visits are necessary to ensure that health facilities are providing efficient services to our people. At the same time it also gives us an opportunity to discuss issues of concern with these health staff and to gauge whether these facilities are in need of essential items, renovations or other general matters”, said Mr Usamate.

Mr Usamate noted that transportation, access to health facilities, and safe water supply is a concern in this area.

For instance, villages around Nasau Health Center and Tokaimalo Nursing Station are facing difficulties with proper and safe water supply. In the meantime, the Health Ministry has supplied some water filters to villages in its attempt to address water borne illnesses. This issue has also been in discussion with the Water Authority of Fiji.

Apart from this, there are future plans to relocate Tokaimalo Nursing Station closer to where the villages are. Currently, a river has to be crossed to reach the Nursing Station which cannot be accessed should it be flooded. This proposed relocation of the nursing station is scheduled for 2017.

“These health facilities are serving our people in the interiors of Ra and I must commend the work done so far by our health staff. I have heard from our staff posted at these two facilities how much effort they put in especially when it comes to reaching out to villages and communities”, Mr Usamate said.

Meanwhile, Nasau Heath Center caters for a population of 2061 people comprising of 10 villages while Tokaimalo Nursing Station caters for 1195 people comprising of 8 villages and 4 settlements.