Residents of Savusavu are facing ongoing shortages of essential medicines and hospital supplies, forcing some to buy their own.

One community member said they had to spend $1,000 to purchase saline solution, while Ventolin, a vital asthma medication, remains unavailable at the local hospital.

Northern Divisional Medical Officer Dr Tiko Saumalua explained that these stockouts have affected various medications for periods ranging from one to three months.

The Ministry’s Fiji Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Services (FPBS) unit, he states is responsible for managing the national supply chain, recently opened a new storage center in Labasa to improve distribution across the northern division.

“The current issue that is currently faced with stockouts of medications, as rightly mentioned tonight, this is some of our items out of stock for about one month, some two to three months, the various ranges of items.”

When supplies run low, Dr Saumalua said facilities share resources or request from the FPBS center in Suva.

However, procurement is often delayed as many medicines and equipment must be imported, causing further shortages.

Beyond medication, residents raised concerns about stress management services at Savusavu Hospital.

While a specialized team based in Labasa visits regularly, Savusavu lacks dedicated space and personnel for ongoing stress care.

Local health workers are trained to manage some cases but rely heavily on outreach from Labasa.

Equipment issues were also highlighted, including a broken X-ray machine at Sub-Saharan Hospital, which remains unrepaired while waiting for a replacement.

The limited capacity of the mortuary, which can only hold eight bodies, is another urgent concern.

Community members urged the Ministry of Health to upgrade these facilities to meet growing demand.

Concerns about the quality of hospital staff were also voiced after a patient with broken ribs was initially misdiagnosed due to equipment failures and staffing issues.

The public and media are calling on the Ministry of Health to address these long-standing problems, emphasizing the constitutional right to proper healthcare and urging stronger accountability and improved planning.

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