Acting Manager for Nursing Services, Blaise Batsari Tabi, said moving patients to the new space is a short-term plan to ease overcrowding until a permanent solution is found.

Babies are born every day at the hospital. A total of 398 newborns were recorded last month, and more than 90 so far this month. Mr. Tabi stressed that while births keep rising, the ward’s capacity remains limited.

“Before, after a mother gave birth, we had to ensure the mother’s condition and the baby’s health were stable before discharge. But now, due to limited space and beds, once a baby’s weight is over 3kg, they have to be discharged, sometimes not more than 12 hours after being reviewed,” he said.

Mr. Tabi said all wards needed expansion and new beds, not just maternity.

The Acting Nursing Manager said the Acting Medical Superintendent, General Service Manager, Allied Manager and he are working together to address the “bed block” issue temporarily while waiting for a long-term plan.

The shortage of beds was raised by Opposition Leader Ishmael Kalsakau in Parliament. He raised concerns about the risk of infection for women forced to sleep on the floor due to the shortage and what actions are being taken.

In his response, then Minister of Health John Still Tari Qetu said that new beds can be purchased, but there is no space to put them.

Director of Curative and Hospital Services, Dr Sereana Natuman, said the problem of overcrowding could become worse in 10 years’ time if action is not taken now.

“The hospital was built 50 years ago to meet a population much lower. The population has now increased, but the hospital has not grown in size, so bed shortages are expected,” she said.

She said an engineering firm, Kramer Ausenco, has been engaged since February this year to create a master plan for the redevelopment of the hospital to meet high standards.

It’s part of Phase 2 of the Vanuatu Hospital Redevelopment Program, which began in 2024 and is supported by the Australian Government. It aims to upgrade health infrastructure and clinical services across all provincial hospitals.

Director Natuman said Kramer hasassessed the site following the earthquake to plan how the hospital should be redeveloped, expanded, or rebuilt.

“Kramer has done the site assessment and provided an inception report. For the last two weeks, the hospital has been collecting staff feedback for each ward. After that, the hospital will compile those feedback, hold a workshop with Kramer, and then the final plan will be designed,” she said.

Once the master plan is completed, the next stage will be detailed design, costing, phased construction planning, and submission to Government for funding.

For the maternity ward, the report recommends increasing the number of beds and space based on population size, according to the director.

“All wards want more space. We must make a comprehensive plan which includes all departments and follows a phased approach,” said the director.

Other provincial hospitals will also go through a similar master planning process.

SOURCE: VANUATU DAILY POST