Riya Mala 
Assistant Health Minister Penioni Ravunawa [Source: Parliament of the Republic of Fiji/Facebook]
The government has allocated $10 million in the 2025–2026 national budget to continue and expand the Free Medical Scheme for vulnerable Fijians.
Assistant Health Minister Penioni Ravunawa says the scheme has improved access to healthcare for low-income earners, social welfare pensioners, and chronic dialysis patients.
It now partners with over 64 private providers, including doctors, dentists, and labs.
The kidney dialysis subsidy has also been increased to $4.7 million to help more people get life-saving treatment.
“Additionally, $3.9 million has been allocated as an operating grant to the Sai Prema Hospital, which provides life-saving cardiac surgeries for children under the Triple P arrangement. This allocation proves that we are not just investing in hospitals we are investing in human lives.”
Ravunawa says non-communicable diseases remain a serious threat, causing over 80% of premature deaths in Fiji.
To fight this, the Ministry’s Wellness Division has received $1.9 million to support prevention programs in schools, villages, workplaces, and communities.
He says the focus is not just on treatment but on changing habits and environments that lead to NCDs.
The Ministry of Health has been allocated a total of $465.6 million in the new budget.
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