The Colonial War Memorial Hospital is struggling with ongoing problems from neglect and lack of funding leading to conditions that are raising widespread concerns.

While the Health Ministry admits to limited resources, today’s volunteer-led clean-up campaign has provided some temporary help but the hospital still faces many challenges in maintaining its facility.

Assistant Minister for Health and Medical Services Penioni Ravunawa pointed out the difficulty of managing long-term maintenance with limited funds.

He also spoke about the importance of community support, saying that the work done by volunteers is making a real difference.

Despite these challenges, Ravunawa stated that hospital staff continue to serve the public even though they work with outdated equipment and poor conditions.

The hospital’s state has attracted criticism, with repair efforts moving slowly.

“It has been neglected for quite a long time. So we are doing a catch-up game here with the resources that are provided to us through government budget. We prioritise, we do what is urgent.”

Ravunawa explained that past planning issues and the growing population in the Suva-Nausori corridor have made the situation worse.

The clean-up, organized by the CWM Hospital Board of Visitors, focused on visible issues like landscaping and maintenance.

Volunteers, including groups from ANZ Bank and the Ministry of Civil Service, helped by water-blasting areas, repainting surfaces and planting flowers.

These actions were aimed at improving the hospital’s exterior without interrupting patient care.

Chair of the CWM Hospital Board of Visitors Esther Williams states that it is everyone’s responsibility to help keep the hospital clean.

“The hospital is really the biggest hospital in Fiji and we should all be giving our service to it. It is part of all of us. And the hospital cleanliness and its plans going forward, it’s not the responsibility of only the Ministry of Health and Medical Services”

Although the clean-up is a positive step, Ravunawa said that a more sustainable solution was needed for ongoing maintenance.

He noted that working with the community is essential for keeping the hospital clean over time.

The clean-up has drawn attention to the hospital’s challenges but also the need for long-term solutions to fix infrastructure issues and meet rising healthcare demands.

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