A new pre-built laboratory to test COVID-19, opened at Vaiola Hospital, on 7 December, will also have the capacity to detect priority pathogens such as influenza and dengue.
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Results for Vaiola Hospital
Thursday 8 December 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga

Thursday 17 November 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A 26-year-old man from Matahau is in critical conditiona at Vaiola Hospital. A 19-year-old has been arrested and charged with grievous bodily harm.

Saturday 17 September 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A new cutting edge Intensive Care Telemedicine Unit worth $7.8 million pa'anga installed at Vaiola Hospital on Tongatapu, was opened by Crown Prince Tupouto'a 'Ulukalala on 16 September.

Wednesday 4 May 2022
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Two ambulances and equipment were handed over today, 4 May to the Ministry of Health from the Rotary Club of Nuku’alofa.

Friday 1 October 2021
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Nuku'alofa,Tonga
The Rotary Club of Nuku'alofa has supported nearly $500,000 in various projects in Tongatapu and 'Eua during the 2020/21 financial year. Although problems with travel are creating disruptions, several projects are under discussion with other clubs overseas.

Thursday 2 September 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A prisoner, Mikaele Hoponoa Pahulu (41) is charged with manslaughter in the death of Nafetalai Latu (71), who was a patient at the Psychiatric Ward in Vaiola Hospital in 2019.

Friday 21 May 2021
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
New medical equipment, including thermography cameras to improve Tonga's border control against COVID-19, was handed over to the Ministry of Health from the Government of Japan. “We also hope that Tonga could open the border even only a day sooner through our various assistances, including vaccinations,” he said.

Friday 9 October 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
CoViD-19 tests are now being offered at Vaiola Hospital for travellers after the Health Services regulation to include CoViD-19 test fees was Gazetted yesterday afternoon.

Thursday 8 October 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga's Cabinet has approved fees for CoViD-19 testing for outbound passengers travelling from Tonga to another country, confirmed Attorney General Linda Folaumoetui today.

Tuesday 1 September 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Mikaele Hoponoa Pahulu (40) was sentenced to three-years imprisonment for beating up a 71-year-old patient at the Psychiatric Ward in Vaiola Hospital. The victim, who suffered a severe head injury, remains paralysed and is fed via nasogastric tube.

Wednesday 27 May 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
A pallet of sweet smelling, vanilla infused hand sanitizers made by Heilala Vanilla in New Zealand, were donated to Vaiola Hospital today, 27 May, to assist in keeping Tonga safe from CoViD-19. Vanilla extract made by the company from Tongan grown vanilla has similar common ingredients as sanitizer—ethanol and glycerin, and they were able to make the new products.

Tuesday 26 May 2020
Tofoa, Tongatapu
Time has given Tonga a great opportunity to prepare itself for the virus and any cases that it might produce. The question is, has this time been used wisely and with urgency to prepare Tonga for the future risks? Those risks, however small, exist even now. Aid money is coming in. Using that to build up the capacity of the health system now means that this can be kept for the future. Wouldn’t it be great if Vaiola were to have a state-of-the-art five-bed ICU that can treat anyone who needs that level of care even after CoViD-19 abates? The staff can do it, if only the facility is there. And it could be. And so we await the arrival of the virus.
I hope Tonga is well prepared when it does.... - Dr Russ Schedlich
Friday 3 April 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
The allocation of $60 million for an Economic and Social Stimulus Package that was announced by the Prime Minister Hon. Dr Pohiva Tu‘i‘onetoa yesterday, 2 April “was not very smart” according to concerned Vaiola Hospital doctors, who believe we should be seriously preparing for the arrival of CoViD-19. Do we have 30,000 hospital beds? The answer, of course, is no. By Pesi Fonua.
Wednesday 1 April 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga’s two weeks isolation from 23 March, in an effort to stop the CoViD-19 from entering the country, is buying time for Health authorities to prepare for a possible influx of the deadly virus when borders re-open. But there are mixed reactions from the community while Tonga remains in isolation from the world.

Wednesday 25 March 2020
Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Two British medical students have found themselves stuck in Tonga and unable to return home after Tonga closed its borders earlier this week to prevent COVID-19 from entering the country.
Wednesday 11 March 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Tonga does not have any cases of coronavirus COVID-19 the Vaiola Hospital confirmed this evening. A doctor said that the second test on a person with pneumonia that was sent to New Zealand on Saturday had returned a negative result today.

Saturday 7 March 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Samples, taken from a suspected coronavirus COVID-19 case in Tonga this week, arrived in Australia yesterday and are on their way to a Melbourne laboratory for testing.

Wednesday 4 March 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
When Dr Duke Mataka became Tonga’s Ophthalmologist in 2018, he filled a post that had been vacant for a decade following the departure of Dr Afu Taumoepeau. Last year alone they carried out 500 operations, mainly cataract treatments.

Friday 3 January 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Prime Minster Hon Pohiva Tu‘i‘onetoa received a free general medical examination by Chinese medical professionals this morning, 3 January, at the Tanoa Hotel in Nuku’alofa.

Thursday 2 January 2020
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Nuku'alofa, Tonga
Only one baby was born on New Year’s Day, welcoming the new decade, on Tongatapu at Vaiola Hospital. Siokatame Mataele Po‘oi made his entrance into the world at 11:24am.
