[Photo: FILE]

Major health investments will fail if they are not backed by trained staff, operational funding and essential support services.

This, according to Fiji Medical Association Treasurer Dr Ahmed Shakeel Shariff.

Speaking at the Post-Budget Forum in Nadi, Dr Shariff said Fiji must ensure new hospitals and medical equipment deliver proper patient care rather than becoming costly assets that cannot be fully used.

He said building facilities or purchasing advanced equipment alone would not strengthen the country’s healthcare system.

Dr Shariff said every major health project must include specialist doctors, nurses, maintenance funding, medical supplies and the systems needed to provide complete patient care.

He warned that without proper planning, expensive equipment could remain idle despite significant public investment.

Using cancer treatment as an example, Dr. Shariff said effective care involves accurate diagnosis, staging the disease, selecting the right treatment and monitoring patients throughout their recovery.

He said a radiotherapy machine on its own cannot provide a complete cancer treatment service without the supporting workforce and clinical systems.

Earlier this year, the government announced Fiji’s first radiotherapy service would be introduced under the Pacific Healthy Islands Transformation project.

Dr Shariff said future health investments should improve access to services, reduce waiting times and deliver better outcomes for patients.

He also said every major project must include long-term operational funding to ensure facilities and equipment remain functional after construction.

Dr Shariff said the success of health investments should be measured by the quality of care provided and the number of lives improved, not by the size of the buildings or the cost of the equipment.