Vanuatu National Hospital is planning to expand its maternity services as growing patient numbers continue to put pressure on the country’s main referral hospital.
Hospital officials say the current maternity ward has only 28 beds, but more than 300 mothers gave birth at the hospital last month alone.
Acting Medical Superintendent Dr Robert Vocor said population growth is increasing demand for health services, with some wards now requiring urgent expansion under the hospital’s Master Plan.
“One of the key areas is the maternity ward. Based on our projections, by 2050 we will need to increase bed capacity by another half of what we currently have,” Dr Vocor said.
He said planning work is already underway, with consultants expected to provide proposed building designs and cost estimates by August.
The expansion forms part of the Vanuatu National Hospital Master Plan, which aims to address challenges related to space, staffing and technical capacity.
Dr Vocor said pressure on the maternity ward has at times forced staff to place beds on the floor to accommodate the growing number of patients.
New Health Minister Robert Bohn, who has been in office for just over a week, visited the hospital to assess some of the challenges facing the facility.
Minister Bohn said the hospital must continue to grow to meet the needs of the country’s increasing population.
“We have major challenges with human resources. We need more nurses, more doctors, more biomedical technicians and other support staff. We have plans, but now we need to execute them,” he said.
Bohn said improving healthcare services will require investment in staffing, training and infrastructure.
Hospital officials say space limitations, shortages of specialised staff and technical capacity remain among the biggest challenges facing the national referral hospital.
