News

Negligence of doctors at CWM: 2013 Audit Report

November 12, 2014 6:06 pm

The Auditor General in its 2013 report has recommended that the Health Ministry should investigate and take disciplinary actions against doctors if they are found to be negligent.

This after the audit noted that last year a number of patients were not properly treated by the doctors at CWM Hospital which resulted in additional cost from further treatment overseas.

These were surgeries undertaken by local doctors which were not successful and were later referred to hospitals in India.

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The cost for further treatments in India was paid by the Health Ministry.

However, no investigations or actions were undertaken against the doctors responsible for negligence or unsuccessful surgeries.

The finding shows that either the doctors were not capable of such operations or were negligent in their job.

The audit also recommends such cases should be reviewed and strategies should be implemented to ensure such cases do not reoccur.

This may include further training provided to local doctors.

In response the management says there is a system for Professional or Clinical misconduct which involves respective Councils, Medical Officers, Dentals or Nurses.

The management says Fiji does not have plastic surgeons and specialist for hip replacement and such operation are done in overseas.

Only symptoms are treated before a patient leaves for overseas.

A Plastic Surgeon was appointed in February 2014.