Good news for people living in the Nadroga-Navosa Province and those in the highlands of Ba, from today they will not need to travel far for medical services as the new Navosa Sub Divisional Hospital is now officially open.

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama says the new hospital in Keiyasi, will serve 26 villages, 58 settlements, 11 kindergartens, and 13 primary and two secondary schools.

The hospital will benefit more than 10,000 people.

Bainimarama says the services provided by the new facility has expanded from what once a primary care facility.

By expanding this hospital into a Sub-divisional Hospital, it can perform surgeries in a modern operating theatre, with proper post-operative care and inpatient services.

The Prime Minister says what’s more important is that this hospital includes a guest house for families, so they can stay with their loved ones instead of having to bear the expense of a hotel or travel back and forth to their villages.

Bainimarama says the Navosa Sub Divisional Hospital includes housing for staff, so that a sufficient number of doctors and nurses can be on site, 24 hours a day.

He adds that the hospital will make a huge difference for the people in this area and it will surely save lives.

The cost of the project was $30 million.