Ninety per cent of health facilities in the Central and Western divisions are ageing.
This was revealed in the Fiji Health Adaptation Plan which was launched by Minister for Health and Medical Services Dr Atonio Lalabalavu at the recent COP29 forum in Azerbaijan.
According to the report, which focuses on the impact of climate change on the country’s health sector, these ageing health facilities had extreme, unrepaired damage from climate events.
“Between 70 per cent and 80 per cent of facilities experienced flooding of roads and bridges preventing access to healthcare facilities during extreme weather events,” the FHAP stated.
“Category 5 Tropical Cyclone Winston in 2016 provided a clear demonstration of the vulnerability of Fiji’s health infrastructure to the impacts of extreme climate events.
“A total of 88 healthcare facilities were either damaged or destroyed.
“The cost of direct damage was estimated to be $13.9million, excluding the cost of secondary implications on human health, such as food and nutritional security, and water safety and security.
“The estimated cost of recovery and reconstruction was $30.9million.”
The report stated climate hazard projections for Fiji indicated that the direct impacts on health would include more frequent high temperatures, less frequent but more intense tropical cyclones and sea level rise.
“These climate events will, in turn, result in indirect health impacts by exacerbating climate-sensitive health risks such as water security and safety (including waterborne disease), food security and safety (including malnutrition and foodborne disease), vector density and distribution (vector-borne diseases), disorders of the eyes, ears, skin and other body systems, disorders of mental or psychosocial health, non-communicable diseases and health systems problems.”
The Health Ministry manages 206 healthcare facilities that include 101 nursing stations, 86 health centres, 18 sub divisional hospitals, three divisional hospitals and the national referral hospital, Colonial War Memorial Hospital.
It also oversees the country’s speciality hospitals PJ Twomey (for tuberculosis, leprosy and medical rehabilitation and the St Giles Hospital for mental health services.
