Riya Bhagwan 
The Punjas Medical Health Centre in Lautoka has been upgraded to a Tier 2 facility, making it a ‘one-stop shop’ for medical services for people in the area.
The $750,000 investment by the Punjas Group of Companies will expand the Centre’s healthcare offerings, adding on-site x-ray, scanning, and laboratory services.
Punjas Group of Companies managing director, Rajesh Punja, says the Centre treats nearly 350 patients daily, and the extension is a crucial step in meeting the growing healthcare demands of the community.
[Managing Director of the Punjas Group of Companies, Rajesh Punja]
“The COVID-19 pandemic showed us just how vital facilities like this are. When Lautoka Hospital was shut down and quarantined, the burden of providing healthcare fell on two medical centres, the Kamikamica Medical Centre and the Punjas Medical Centre. This highlighted the critical need for a facility that could provide more comprehensive services.”
Punja says projects like these are at the cornerstone of the company’s values and corporate social responsibility.
“Since the inception of the Punjas Medical Centre, our outlay for this project, including land, building, renovations and extensions we’ve done to meet the Ministry of Health’s requirement, has been over $2.25 million.”
The Health Ministry stresses that investments of this nature benefit not only the local community but the nation as a whole.
Minister for Health, Dr. Atonio Lalabalavu, commended key stakeholders for their continued efforts and commitment to the project.
“He adds that the government, through the Ministry of Health, will be procuring the essential equipment so that this facility becomes a one-stop shop for people seeking medical services.”
