Vila Central Hospital marks 50 years of healing with stories of hope and connection
At 75, Sister Janet Leitangi of Tongoa still wears her nurse’s uniform with pride. She first walked through the doors of Vila Central Hospital (VCH) in 1980 as a young midwife. More than four decades later, she continues to serve families at the Vanuatu Family Health Unit.
Among the thousands of babies she delivered, one stands out in her memory: a little boy born at 8pm on March 31, 1987. That boy grew up to be Dr. Sale Vurobaravu, who today works as a doctor at the very hospital where his life began.
When the two meet in the hospital corridors, the connection is instant. Sister Janette often greets him with a hug and a playful slap on the head. “This little head is the head I delivered,” she always reminds him with a smile.
For Dr. Sale, the bond is deeply personal. His late mother was in Sister Janette’s care that night, and the nurse never forgot. “I find it amazing,” Dr. Sale said, “because now we both work in the health sector. She helped me come into this world, and now I get to serve alongside her. I am forever grateful.”
The two also share pews at Port Vila’s Paton Memorial Church, strengthening the sense of family that health workers often feel beyond the wards. “When I saw her this morning at the Jubilee, I was very happy,” Dr. Sale said. “She is one of the longest-serving staff, and I know many people my age were also delivered by her. We are proud of what she and others like her have given to this nation.”
This living link between generations of caregivers became a moving highlight as VCH celebrated its Golden Jubilee this week under the theme “Healing and Hope: Honouring Our Roots, Celebrating the Present, Innovating for the Future.”
While the 50 years have seen VCH grow into the country’s national referral hospital, staff know the journey has never been easy. Low pay, sleepless nights, and long hours away from family are the unspoken costs of care. But on this special day, the parade through Port Vila brought back pride.
“Yes, we don’t always get much,” Dr. Sale admitted. “Many of us miss out on family events because we are on duty. But when we marched today, and saw families waving at us, it brought us joy. Celebrations like this boost our morale and remind us why we keep going.”
For Sister Janette, that joy is written across decades of sacrifice and the living testimony of a child she once cradled, now serving at her side.
As VCH turns 50, their story is a reminder that hospitals are not just buildings, but homes of memory, service, and hope places where the hands that once delivered life still continue to heal.
