The future location of Diabetes Fiji services remains under discussion as concerns grow over the structural safety of the organisation’s current headquarters.
Health Minister Dr Atonio Lalabalavu says Diabetes Fiji is operating from a government-owned facility and has been offered alternative accommodation within the Ministry of Health and Medical Services.
He says the organisation has also been advised to work with the Colonial War Memorial Hospital on temporary relocation arrangements while longer-term solutions are finalised.
Dr Lalabalavu says discussions on the matter have been ongoing for several months and maintains that the ministry remains committed to finding a suitable way forward.
However, Diabetes Fiji Executive Director Kini Marawa says relocation talks were prompted by an assessment conducted by the Ministry of Infrastructure’s Public Works Department, which identified major structural and long-term safety risks at the Diabetes Hub Centre on Waimanu Road.
Marawa says both sides are working to secure a suitable location that will allow services to continue uninterrupted while also improving access for patients, including people living with disabilities.
He stresses that any move must be carefully planned to avoid disrupting critical diabetes care services at a time when non-communicable diseases continue to place a significant burden on Fiji’s health system.
Marawa has also called for greater investment in a modern diabetes centre of excellence, bringing treatment, education, rehabilitation and disability-friendly services together under one roof.
Diabetes Fiji says it remains committed to working closely with government, donors and development partners to ensure patients continue receiving essential care throughout the relocation process.
