The Health Ministry has confirmed that the new decompression chamber has been installed at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital.

The Health Ministry has confirmed that the new decompression chamber has been installed at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital.

Minister Dr. Ifereimi Waqainabete says the cost of the new chamber is estimated at a little over $2 million.

Dr. Waqainabete says the chamber will be able to aid Fijians who go free diving and also help the diving sector of the Tourism Industry.

The Minister says they will first need to train staff on how to operate the chamber before it becomes operational.

“The hardware is installed, the software is done but it’s making sure that we train our staff. As you are aware the decompression chamber means high-pressure oxygen. There’s also risk involved in machines such as that and it’s important that the staff are thoroughly trained around the safety aspects of it to be able to protect them but most importantly protect the patients they’re looking after.”

Dr. Waqainabete says they’re hoping to train a handful of staff to learn how to operate the chamber to ensure they have skilled professionals on standby when the need arises.

He hopes the chamber will be ready in a months’ time.