NFP raises questions about funding and governance procedures concerning Aspen Medical
The Fiji First government has been fooling and misleading the people of Fiji by promising the start of free open-heart surgeries at the Lautoka Hospital from May, said National Federation Party Leader Professor Biman Prasad.
He said this revelation comes amidst extremely reliable information which he received about Aspen Medical’s intention to now out-source medical services to at least one other provider despite initially signing an agreement in January 2019 to manage Lautoka and Ba Hospitals.
The NFP Leader said this raises the question of Aspen Medical’s competency and plans to provide state-of-the-art health and medical services.
“The 380,000 people that were supposed to benefit from it are still waiting for the much promised world class health and medical services”.
Professor Prasad said he has received calls from many concerned heart patients who told him they are only being screened and given clinic dates for review instead of being booked for any type of surgery whatsoever.
The NFP Leader said the patients told him they have been informed that nothing has been done to facilitate this critically important treatment, said National Federation Party Leader Professor Biman Prasad.
“The question that naturally arises is why government has been misleading the people of Fiji?”
“This is electioneering in an election year and can be interpreted as a false promise”.
“Worse, we again question the allocation of $10.1 million over the last three years up to 2021 by Fiji National Provident Fund into a public private partnership company with Aspen”.
“FNPF has pumped the funds into Health Care (Fiji) Pte Ltd in which FNPF has 80% stake with 20% owned by Aspen Medical, that was selected as partners to manage Lautoka and Ba Hospitals”.
“Aspen also borrowed $424,000 from FNPF”.
“We also question about the governance and control of Health Care (Fiji) Pte. Ltd. We ask whether it is true that the 5-member Health Care Ltd Board is controlled by Aspen with 3 members while FNPF, which owns 80% of the company, has two members”.
“Has the initial agreement between FNPF and Aspen amended to accommodate out-sourcing?”
“Or a has a totally new agreement now rendered the original deal meaningless just because Aspen is calling the shots on the Board?”
“Where is the economic logic or return on investment? $10.1 million of workers’ money has been pumped into this so-called partnership but the 380,000 people that were supposed to benefit from it are still waiting for the much promised world class health and medical services”.
“We now demand an independent inquiry to determine the truth because this could turn into a scandal”.
“While it is futile to expect transparency and accountability from a government whose leadership doesn’t give a damn, the workers of Fiji who own FNPF deserve the truth”.
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