Only One Doctor on Duty Says Chaudhry

Labour Party Leader Mahendra Chaudhry slammed government over the state of emergency services at Lautoka Hospital as the dengue outbreak continues to worsen in the region.

During a visit to the hospital at 3.30pm today, Chaudhry said he found only one doctor on duty in the Emergency section, where around 30 patients were waiting to be seen — many since early morning.

Among them was a young boy, Jone, who Chaudhry said was huddled under a thin blanket and running a high temperature. According to the boy’s mother, they had been at the hospital since 9am waiting for treatment.

“It is pathetic that only one doctor is on duty and patients have to wait for hours to be attended to. This is the emergency section we are talking about,” Chaudhry said.

He described the conditions as dire, with several patients, including children, visibly unwell and experiencing discomfort after sitting for hours without medical attention.

Chaudhry’s comments come amid growing concern about the healthcare system’s capacity to cope with the increasing number of dengue cases in the Western Division.