Shocking images exposing dangerous structural decay inside Ngū Hospital in Vavaʻu have unleashed fierce criticism, as frustrated residents point to years of government promises to build a replacement facility — promises that vanished without action.
One of the photos shows a gaping hole in the hospital floor, directly beside a hospital bed or medical trolley.
The hole exposes broken flooring material and a dark cavity beneath—posing an immediate danger to anyone walking or working near it. The image highlights how parts of the hospital appear to be literally falling apart under the feet of staff and patients.
Another photo reveals severe structural failure around a doorway, with crumbling concrete, broken wall surfaces, and debris scattered across the ground.
The area inside the room appears filled with damaged materials, giving the impression of long‑term neglect and abandonment rather than an operational health facility.
It comes after Kaniva News reported about four years ago, in 2022, that Ngū Hospital was facing serious infrastructure problems, including leaking and outdated buildings. At the time, senior cabinet ministers described the situation as urgent and unacceptable.
The then Minister for Trade and Economic Development, Dr Viliami Uasikē Lātū, said the conditions were “inappropriate and pitiable” (“’tu’unga ‘ikai fe’unga mo faka’ofa”). Posting in Tongan on Facebook after a ministerial site visit, he wrote: “It is in a dangerous state and really needs reconstruction urgently.”
Dr Lātū inspected the hospital alongside the then Minister for Health, Dr Saia Piukala, and the Minister for Justice, Sāmiu Vaipulu. They were accompanied by the United Kingdom High Commissioner to Tonga, Ms Lucy Joyce, and the First Secretary to the Australian High Commission.
Two years later, on 7 November 2024, the World Bank announced the approval of a US$30 million grant to help Tonga address the growing burden of non‑communicable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes and heart disease. The funding was also intended to support the reconstruction of Ngū Hospital.
Public Outcry as Photos Confirm Years of Neglect
Neiafu Town Officer Vava Lapota published the images on Facebook this week, describing the condition as rotten (“popo”), triggering a wave of frustration among local residents, many of whom say the photos confirm long‑standing warnings about the hospital’s deteriorating condition.
Some commenters expressed disbelief that the main hospital for the Vavaʻu island group could be allowed to fall into such disrepair, while others questioned how patient safety and dignity could be maintained in such conditions.
One outraged commenter pointed out that while authorities are urging the public to clean up amid dengue outbreaks, the very institution that should embody cleanliness and safety — the hospital itself — is in a state of chaos and neglect.
“We never thought one of the main hospitals in Tonga could ever end up in this kind of danger,” a commenter wrote.
Another commenter pointed out that past governments repeatedly promised to renovate the hospital, yet none of those pledges ever materialised.
Last year, the Australian High Commission in Tonga announced on Facebook that the redevelopment of Vavaʻu’s Prince Wellington Ngū Hospital was “a project close to our hearts,” noting that work with key partners was progressing.
The post said the Australian team had joined the Ministry of Health and the World Bank to mark early milestones, confirming that design work for the new hospital building would begin soon. Tonga’s Ministry of Finance has allocated AUD $10 million from Australia’s budget support funds to the national project.
