[Source: Parliament of the Republic of Fiji/ Facebook]

The bulk of the 2020-21 Republic of Fiji Military Forces budget was diverted to construct an intensive care unit at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks in Nabua.

While responding to questions from the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence, RFMF Chief of Staff Brigadier Sapenafa Motufaga said the facility was constructed as a back-up for the Colonial War Memorial hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said the facility would have been used if the CWM hospital was overwhelmed because of the pandemic.

[Source: Parliament of the Republic of Fiji/ Facebook]

He said all precautions were taken as the pandemic was something very new for the nation.

“There was a lot of panic and fear because of that health emergency. And that was one of the decisions by the government to do an extension of a health unit in camp as a backup to CWM in case the problem gets out of hand.”

[Source: Parliament of the Republic of Fiji/ Facebook]

Director for Force Development and Strategic Commitment Colonel Aseri Rokouara says the facility was also developed to cater specifically to the RFMF health personnel conducting outreach.

He said research from an Ebola case study in Africa demonstrated the critical need for isolation facilities for infected healthcare workers, to prevent spread of the virus within the general population.

[Source: Parliament of the Republic of Fiji/ Facebook]

“So we had the government, they had to decide on preparing something for our health personnel who are conducting the facility, the nurses and the doctors who are the frontliners during the COVID. That’s why there’s a more focus on that facility.”

The RFMF has a hospital in the camp similar to a subdivision hospital.

[Source: Parliament of the Republic of Fiji/ Facebook]

The RFMF also has another one at the Black Rock Camp which was established in collaboration with the Health Ministry.

The health center is open to members of the public in the surrounding area.