Josefa Sigavolavola 
[Photo: Supplied]
Patients requiring diabetic foot surgery at CWM Hospital can expect faster treatment following the opening of a new minor operating theatre funded by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The facility is part of an $840,700 hospital modernization project officially handed over to the Ministry of Health today.
Assistant Minister for Health Penioni Ravunawa says the investment directly targets a major bottleneck in the country’s surgical services.
“The New Surgical Ward comprises four wards with a total capacity of 49 beds, providing specialised care for patients suffering from severe diabetic foot sepsis.”
The ward offers specialized care for patients suffering from severe diabetic foot sepsis, a critical priority given that diabetic foot procedures account for nearly 70 percent of CWM Hospital’s surgical workload.
Ravunawa highlighted that the hospital had been operating at just 50 percent theatre capacity while four of its eight operating theatres underwent refurbishment, causing severe treatment delays.
To relieve this pressure, LDS Suva Stake President Panapasa Ratuvukivuki highlighted that the church funded the conversion of a ward procedure room into a dedicated minor operating theatre.
“Through an investment of more than $800k where departments within this hospital have been prepared, refurbished and upgraded to provide a safer, more dignified and more welcoming environment for patients.”
The facility forms part of the broader LDS-funded modernization project designed to upgrade infrastructure and elevate patient care at Fiji’s primary referral hospital.
