This review describes the current situation of health
leadership and management capacity at the sub-divisional
level in Fiji. Fiji is a lower middle-income country ranked 86
out of 169 countries on the UNDP1
human development
index. With a gross national income per capita of USD$4,304
in 2007, Fiji’s economy is among the most developed of the
Pacific Island countries. However, the economy contracted
by 2.5% in 2009, representing the worst performance in
more than a decade.
Fiji has a good standard of health with about 70–80% of
the population having access to Primary Health Care. Life
expectancy at birth is around 70 years, similar to most Pacific
Island countries. Infant mortality has declined over recent years
from 21 per 1000 live births in 2005 to 13 per 1000 in 2008.