A power outage at Navua Hospital last Saturday was swiftly resolved following a generator malfunction. Assistant Health Minister Penioni Ravunawa reported that the technical team from Electricity Fiji Ltd. acted quickly, restoring power by 1 a.m. on Sunday. Thankfully, no patients were affected during the disruption, and no medical incidents occurred.
During the outage, the only deceased body in the hospital’s morgue was transported to the Colonial War Memorial Hospital, with approval from the deceased’s family. Navua Hospital has since resumed full operations, with all patients receiving necessary care and remaining stable.
This incident is part of a broader pattern of power challenges affecting Fiji’s healthcare facilities, including repeated outages at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital. These situations highlight the aging infrastructure and emphasize the importance of reliable backup power systems, particularly crucial during hurricane seasons. Recognizing this, the Ministry of Health has committed to enhancing electrical systems across regional hospitals through thorough investigations and upgrades.
Despite the frequency of such incidents, there is a strong movement towards systemic improvement, fostering hope for more stable healthcare infrastructure in Fiji. The prompt resolution of Navua Hospital’s recent power issue underscores the effectiveness of emergency protocols and the commitment of health professionals to ensure uninterrupted care. This ongoing resilience, along with efforts to reform and upgrade facilities, offers optimism for a stronger healthcare system ready to face future challenges effectively.