[Source: Fijian Government]

The Fiji Emergency Medical Assistance Team field hospital will begin operations as a COVID facility over the weekend.

The facility will be ready to treat COVID patients by the end of the weekend.

Head of FEMAT, Doctor Luke Nasedra says the facility will share the load with other facilities in the Central/Eastern Division where Fijians can be catered for during their recovery.

He says rows of hospital beds will be used to cater for moderate to severe cases.

The facility, which has been operational since the 5th of June, has received a good share of COVID cases.

“Dr Nasedra says 60 per cent of COVID cases that they have received into this facility have gone home and another 20 per cent have been referred to the Colonial War Memorial Hospital.

Dr Nasedra adds the National Gymnasium has a capacity of 49 beds with the space for expansion, while the FEMAT hospital will cater for 80 to 90 beds.

[Source: Fijian Government]

Permanent Secretary for Health, and Medical Services, Dr James Fong, says if Fijians come early with moderate disease, they can recover and return home.

He says they have discharged a lot of people from the FEMAT hospital even at CWM adding the key to the discharge of patients with severe disease is for them to engage with them early on.

Among the changes the Ministry of Health and Medical Services had to make to their response, Dr Fong emphasised that some of them had to happen faster than they were able to articulate to the public.

Dr Fong says that Fijians with COVID-19 symptoms should stay home for 14 days and self-isolate themselves.

He says they should eat well, drink lots of fluids, and monitor symptoms.

Fijians who require a medical certificate during this period should attend the nearest screening clinic to be checked and to obtain a medical certificate for the 14 days of self-isolation.

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