Boy’s death concerns Qarase
15-Jul-2008 08:12 AM

OUSTED Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase, has expressed concern about the electricity supply problem at Taveuni Hospital which led to the death of a 14-year-old boy last weekend.

Qarase questioned whether the problem was mechanical or was it due to non-acceptance of the Government LPO’s by fuel suppliers.

However, he said the excuses were unacceptable.

He believes the problems faced at the Taveuni Hospital may be attributed to lack of finance or the failure of the Ministry of Finance to release funds on time.

“The unfortunate death of a schoolboy at Taveuni could have been avoided if he had received full medical attention at the critical time,” Qarase said.

He said the problems at Taveuni Hospital clearly reflected the deteriorating services at
many rural hospitals.

“The deterioration has been due mainly to neglect by the interim Government resulting in shortage of drugs, consumables and lack of replacements and maintenance of essential equipment.

“The problems in rural areas are not confined to hospital services. Rural development projects have essentially ceased during the last 18 months,” Qarase said.

But, he said only a selected few were being implemented.

Qarase said claims by the interim Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, during his recent visit to Cakaudrove, that previous Governments had neglected rural development were completely false.

He said during the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL) party for example implemented more rural development projects annually than any previous Governments.

“There is plenty of documented evidence of this in the Prime Minister’s Office itself,” he said.

Qarase has called on the interim Government to carry out an investigation into the death of the school boy at Taveuni Hospital and the results of the investigation should be made
public as early as possible.