[File Photo]

The Health Ministry has today clarified that the new beds at the newly opened Navosa Sub-Divisional Hospital were initially deployed to the new Ba Hospital.

This was in anticipation of the potential massive increase in admission due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the Ministry says, having now achieved COVID-contained status and alleviating the need for stand-by inpatient beds at Ba Hospital, the Ministry has decided to deploy these new beds for immediate use at the new Navosa Sub-Divisional Hospital, where they will be permanently inventoried.

It goes on to say this is not an unusual action, and the Ministry has employed this strategy in the past and will continue to do so in the future.

Meanwhile, the Ministry says it will receive its order in the next few weeks of 914 new hospital beds valued at more than $3.2million.

The Ministry has also approved FJD $2.6 million worth of biomedical equipment for the Navosa SD Hospital.