Peceli Naviticoko 
Many patients in Fiji are struggling to afford adult diapers, a basic health need that remains too expensive for many.
The issue is clear at the Labasa Hospital, where staff often find that patients arrive without proper supplies.
Labasa Hospital Medical Superintendent, Doctor Mikaele Mua, states that most patients are unprepared when admitted.
“The hospital most of our patients who come to the hospital, when they come for admissions, most of them are not well prepared for admissions, I would say, and most of them come from very remote areas, and when they come in, we mostly find most of them without this need.”
To help ease the pressure, the Labasa Rotary Club has donated 3,000 packs of adult diapers and 270 bed mats to the hospital.
Labasa Rotary Club President Amelia Simmons points out how diapers are very expensive and most families cannot afford them.
“Diapers are very expensive, and especially for those patients who are immobilized, they need them. They’re very expensive, so the diapers will go a long way, and we are very lucky for us to get the donation so that we can donate it to the Labasa Hospital.”
The Rotary Club is also running projects to help students in rural areas with basic learning supplies such as stationery and books.
These remain a challenge for many schools across Vanua Levu.
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