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Fiji’s Ministry of Health is implementing an increase in fees for some services provided by public hospitals.
Minister for Health Dr Neil Sharma said at a press conference today that the increase was to further enhance services which he said had improved in quality.
“For the non paying section, there is no increase and you will be still seen at no cost, however, if you wish to go to the paying section or you want services as and when needed, then there will be a fee,” Sharma said.
He stressed that the ministry had to look at what was available to them and what it was costing them.
“We need adequate returns and we need to upgrade so all that has to be factored in.”
“We have to be able to provide good quality service and we don’t need to be reminded that we just faced a 20 percent reduction in devaluation of our dollar,” Sharma added.
He said the ministry had not reviewed fee charges over the past 50-60-years.
“So we need to rationalize that there must be cost adjustment as a consequence.”
By Edwina Chand
