Caption: Punjas Group chairman Kanti Punja (middle) hands over the keys to Health Minister Jone Usamate (right) and Assistant Health Minister Veena Bhatnagar (left) during the MOA signing at the Punjas Headquarters in Lautoka. Photo: ANUSHIL KUMAR.
By ANUSHIL KUMAR
People of Lautoka will have better access to health facilities by the end of this month.
The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the new hospital was signed between the Ministry of Health and Punjas Group of companies at the Punjas Headquaters in Lautoka on Friday, January 9.
Health Minister Jone Usamate was grate to the Punja family as a whole for the wonderful contribution towards the health services in Fiji.
“We in the Ministry of Health know that in our march towards the vision that we have of coming up with a healthy population, we need a caring health care delivering system, something that cannot be delivered by the government alone,” Mr Usamate said.
“Today the government is very grateful to you (Punjas) and others like you that are willing to provide the resources so that we can propagate this message of looking after the health for the people of Fiji.
“On behalf of the Government, thank you very much. We will make sure that the services we provide there will be of assistance to everybody in this country. I must thank the Punjas Charitable Trust for doing all this since many years before.
“On behalf of the Government, we look forward to a very successful collaboration.”
Director Punja & Sons Ltd, Mr Rajesh Punja was pleased to sign the MOA with the Ministry of Health.
“We are delighted to be signing this Memorandum of Agreement for a new medical center for the citizens of Lautoka,” Mr Punja said.
“Punjas, since its inception in 1935 has kept the community at heart and this project is our way of contributing to the health and well-being of people and making their lives better.
“The Punja Charity Trust has taken the initiative to partner with the government of Fiji and in particular the Ministry of Health and Medical Services in providing this service to people so they can get quicker and quality health care without crowding our hospitals.
A total of $500,000 has been invested for this project that has an ambulance bay, nursing station, two consultation rooms, ramp for bed transfers, records room, pharmacy, staff kitchen, cleaning room, change room with shower facilities and amenities for the disabled.
“We believe that health is wealth and all efforts should be made to maintain and promote this. This year, we mark 80 years in service and what better way to commemorate this than with a gift of good health.”
The official opening of the new facility is expected to take place on January 24.