Overview

Fiji’s healthcare system comprises public and private sectors.  There are three main divisional hospitals (Suva, Lautoka, and Labasa), 21 sub-divisional hospitals, 84 health centers, and 99 nursing stations.  The standard of public healthcare services is fairly basic and adequate for routine medical problems.  Facilities, particularly in the rural or peri-urban areas, are often under-resourced and lacking basic supplies.  Fiji’s constitution embeds the right to health as a fundamental right for all Fijians and therefore provides free or subsidized healthcare to its citizens.  In remote areas and outer islands, emergency response is extremely limited, and pharmacies often face shortages of supplies and medications.  There are private hospitals in Suva and Nadi providing Western-style medical care and a range of medical services.  Medical evacuations are mostly to Australia, New Zealand, or India, with the latter being the cheaper alternative in terms of medical costs, though travel time and costs are a disadvantage.

Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancers which are often expensive to treat have become prevalent in Fiji.  Fiji also faces some important public financing challenges.  For example, per capita expenditure on health, and total expenditure on health as a share of GDP, has been noticeably, and consistently, lower than the average for upper-middle income countries globally (Source: DFAT Strategic Review of the Fiji Health Program April 2022).

Leading sub-sectors

• Ancillary pathology and radiology laboratory services
• Health information system and technologies
• Specialist services – disabilities or special needs, rehabilitation, mental health, NCD related care
• Supply of pharmaceutical products and medical devices   

Opportunities

Extensive tax exemptions are offered for businesses to set up private hospitals and ancillary pathology and radiology laboratories.  The Fijian government recently announced plans for the refurbishment and upgrade of the Savusavu and Labasa Hospitals.  The only major construction will be for the new Rehabilitation Hospital in Tamavua.   There are also plans to improve the health sector’s ICT infrastructure and network, and purchase of new equipment for urban and sub-divisional health centers and nursing stations.