News coverage on medical care when in Fiji

Thought I would pass on this story re. traveling in Fiji and health care available in the event of an emergency:

http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/radio/program/pacific-beat/horror-story-a-warning-to-fiji-tourists/1018188

I don't know about the validity of the story, or if there are precedents, and certainly don't feel that this applies just to Fiji! However, I felt it was worthwhile posting onwards, even if just as a reminder to have a phone number of a consulate available, in the event you need emergency assistance, and to have international travel insurance that has a 24-hour number, ideally with local support available.

This same piece of sensationalist blow-up of a piece of non-news has already been linked to and discussed here recently:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=2252051&messageID=20313859#20313859

Laszio, hadn't seen the other post; thanks for noting it.

The Seeto family in Fiji is a very well known and respected family, and it saddens me to read this so called horror story. Why didn't the daughter take her dad to the Lautoka Hospital by taxi, 10mins from the Hotel. How was she able to put her Dad on the plane in the condition he was in. Some of the symptoms of food poisoning is vomiting, diarrhoea and definetly dehydration. No way I would have put my dad on a 3 hours flight.
My husband and I are around the same age, we are NZ citizen living here in Fiji,(15yrs) and certainly the medical facilities aren't as good as NZ, but it is certainly good enough for us.

Seen this before, but it does have a lesson worth repeating: Have Travel Insurance (especially for
those over 60 years old.) Know the telephone contact numbers for the Insurance Company. Medi-Evac
coverage is wise if you are visiting a developing country.

Medical care throughout the islands is very hit or miss. but it is not what you are used to. Why didn't medical care meet the plane? Most likely because there are no ambulances and this is not something that is done. I don't know about Fiji, although I do know several Fijian doctors, and they do their best but if I were to get seriously ill I'd be out of any of the islands in a flash. But not by medivac- by regularly scheduled flights. And this is not hysteria- I spent 4 years working in the hospitals.