Fiji does not have an operational Recompression Chamber at the moment due to long term maintenance requirements and the government is looking at purchasing a new chamber.
A recompression chamber is a treatment chamber used to treat divers suffering from certain diving disorders such as decompression sickness.
According to the Health Ministry, the chamber at CWM Hospital is also used as one of the ways to facilitate healing in severely infected wounds, especially those linked with diseases that result in impaired blood flow to wound sites as in Diabetes.
The Health Ministry says in the absence of the recompression chamber other ways of managing these wounds will have to be relied on.
When questioned by Fijivillage on when Fiji will have a fully operational recompression chamber as it is important for everyone who dives in Fiji including tourists and those having severely infected wounds, the Health Ministry says the current chamber has reached the end of its useful life as such the Ministry is currently looking into the replacement which will be more cost‑effective than undertaking further extensive repairs.
Whilst the Ministry is working towards the chamber replacement, the team at CWM Hospital is currently liaising with Helipro to see the possibility of acquiring a portable chamber for temporary arrangements.
The Fiji Hotels and Tourism Association has advised all its members to make adjustments to their medical emergency plans.
The association also had a meeting with the dive operators and told them that they should continue to dive conservatively and encourage divers to arrive in‑country with suitable insurance.
Dive Alert Network and insurance companies recommend that the treatment of choice is the local emergency service and hospital for an injured diver.
Association CEO Fantasha Lockington says all these issues have been highlighted to the dive and tourism industry a week ago.
Lockington says they have recommended to the government that there should be a recompression chamber in Suva and one in Lautoka.
She says a chamber costs about $200,000 and has to be fully certified after its installation.
We will have more later.
