Riya Bhagwan 
[Photo: FILE]
Aspen-operated Ba and Lautoka hospitals are facing growing pressure to maintain round-the-clock operations as staffing shortages continue to place a strain on services.
Chief Executive Gavin Whiteside says the broader brain drain affecting the health sector is impacting the two hospitals, creating challenges in maintaining full operations.
However, he says the $120 million Health Care Fiji allocation in the 2026–27 National Budget is expected to support efforts to address these challenges.
He says the funding will help ensure hospital departments remain operational, staffed and equipped to continue delivering essential services to communities in the Western Division.
“That is to maintain 100% operations, all departments open, staffed, equipped, and we are providing those key clinical services to the communities that we serve in Ba and Lautoka.”
Whiteside says the ongoing renegotiation of the Health Care Fiji Public-Private Partnership agreement will also focus on strengthening service delivery and addressing operational needs.
He says the updated agreement is expected to pave the way for further improvements in healthcare services over the next 12 months.
