Category Public Advisory

Nausori Health Center service delivery to improve

Assistant Minister for Health Mrs Veena Bhatnagar with staff at the Wainibokasi Hospital.

The Health Ministry continues to work strategically to improve health service delivery at facilities around the country and Nausori Health Center is an example of this.

A nursing practitioner has been appointed alongside a medical officer at the Nausori Health Center. These new appointments will provide relief to health staff and contribute towards reducing patient waiting time.

The Hon. Assistant Minister for Health & Medical Services Mrs Veena Bhatanager visited the Nausori Health Center yesterday and has commended this initiative.

“It has been noted that there is an influx of patients in the afternoon, particularly as neighbouring health centers close at 4.30pm and only cater for emergency cases so patients visits the Nausori Health Center instead for medical attention.

“The nursing practitioner will be able to complement the work of the medical officer who apart from attending general outpatients also attends to emergency cases after hours, hence long waiting times can occur”.

Mrs Bhatnagar said that much progress and work is being made towards strengthening and improving health services around the country and these initiatives are no doubt a catalyst to achieve the desired outcomes.

The Hon. Assistant Minister for Health further added that more frequent visits will be made to health facilities around the country to ensure that patients are given the utmost care and staff are motivated and encouraged to uplift their performance.

Mrs Bhatnagar also thanked the staff for their dedicated service to the people and reminded them of the need to be more customer focused.

Meanwhile, the construction of the new Nausori hospital is expected to commence later this year and will be completed by 2018.

Health facility construction work on schedule in the west

Mr Usamate in discussion at the New Ba Hospital Site

The new accident and emergency department at the Lautoka Hospital is expected to be completed and will be fully operational by March this year.

This was confirmed to the Hon. Minister for Health & Medical Services Mr Jone Usamate by the construction company during his recent visit to the hospital.

Mr Usamate was impressed with the progress made and has commended work done so far as it is on par and can be compared with renowned hospitals around the globe.

The Health Ministry has now focused its attention towards the provision of quality health care services and as such would like to have in place proper structures and adequate staff to provide efficient health care services.

Mr Usamate also visited the Ba Hospital construction site to see its progress and has been advised by the contractors that this project will be completed within the scheduled timeframe.

Rheumatic Heart Disease Mobile Clinic Launched 

Hon. Minister for Health & Medical Services Jone Usamate with some of the children who attended the RHD clinic at the Sofitel Resort at Denarau.

The Hon. Minister for Health & Medical Services, Mr Jone Usamate, launched Fiji’s first Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) Mobile Clinic at Sofitel Resort & Spa Nadi.

The Mobile Clinic has been custom built for undertaking echocardiograms (echos) of the heart in the community. An echo is a simple procedure that provides images of the heart that enable a specialist medical officer to detect cases of RHD, in some cases before there are symptoms. Echos of the heart are also used when reviewing patients already diagnosed with RHD.

Mr Usamate said that “RHD is a common yet preventable heart condition in Fiji. RHD causes significant morbidity, disability and mortality through childhood and into early adulthood. Recent research has shown that while RHD usually first affects children aged 5-15; it is a leading cause of death for adults in Fiji.

“This Mobile Clinic is an example of the significant investment being made in building the capability of the Fiji Islands RHD Control and Prevention Program”

Funding for the Mobile Clinic was the direct result of a fundraising partnership between Cure Kids and AccorHotels. Over a ten year period, AccorHotels have raised over $2m for Cure Kids-led child health initiatives in Fiji.

Meanwhile, the RHD mobile clinic will screen close to 400 children from local communities for RHD.

OPEN HEART SURGERY ( CABG)

The Ministry of Health, Fiji, wishes to advise that open heart surgery (CABG) will be performed in CWM Hospital ,Suva. Details are as below:

4. Screening of patients …………….. Free from 4.2.016 to 12.2.2016
5. Angiogram from 4.2.2016 to 20.2.2016
6. CABG from 14.2.2016 to 26.2.2016

Medical procedures are performed under Joint Venture agreement between the Ministry of Health & Medical Services and Sahyadri Speciality Pacific Hospitals Limited (SSPHL) Fiji, estimated cost are as follows:

We wish to advise that the Ministry is willing to accommodate referrals from all General Practitioners, Hospital, health centres and Insurance companies, etc.

For further enquiries please contact the following personnel during official hours from Monday to Thursday 8.00a.m to 4.30 p.m Friday from 8.00a.m to 4.00 p.m:

Health: Register or renewal required for wholesalers, retailers of tobacco products and suki vendors

The registration of new tobacco retailers/suki vendors or renewal of current tobacco retailer/suki vendor registration certificates is currently effective from the 1^st of December 2015 at the Tobacco Control Enforcement Unit [TCEU] office at the Ministry of Health and Medical Services and all Rural Local Authority/Health Offices.

All tobacco product retailers will be levied a registration fee on new or renewed applications as stipulated under Schedule 5 of the Tobacco Control Regulations 2012.

Tobacco and suki vendors must make all efforts to visit the nearest health office in the central, western and northern division. The Tobacco Control Team will be present to do a mass registration and licensing campaign and the certificates will be issued on site.

Failure to obtain a registration certificate to sell tobacco products or suki by the 31^st of January 2016 is an offence and may incur a penalty of up to $5,000.00. Therefore, any retailer that sells tobacco products without a valid certificate on the 1^st of February 2016 is committing an offence and will be subjected to court proceedings.

The Health Ministry once again reminds all tobacco products and suki vendors to register or renew and can contact the Tobacco Control Enforcement Unit (Central) Level 3, Namosi House, Amy Street, Toorak Suva on Ph: 3314988 for more information.