07/02/2023
๐บ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ป๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐!
โ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐๐จ๐ง๐, ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ ๐ ๐จ๐จ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐๐ง๐ญ; ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐ ๐๐๐ฐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ, ๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐๐ค๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ ๐ซ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ซ ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฌ: ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐จ t๐ก๐ ๐ฃ๐จ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐.โ Matthew 25: 21
A diligent worker, a role model, a dedicated nurse and a remarkable woman were among the few traits that were echoed to farewell Sister Sarafina Rokotuira Turaga last Saturday, February 4 at her home turf in Naqali village, Naitasiri.
Sr. Sarafinaโs life was first celebrated by her colleagues from the nursing fraternity, family and friends in a moving Memorial Service at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital Hospital (CWMH) Auditorium.
She was born on 3rd April, 1973 and served in Fijiโs nursing fraternity for 27 years right until her final breath on Tuesday, 31st January at the age of 49 years old.
Sr. Sarafina held the position of CWMH Operating Theatre Nurse Unit Manager until her passing.
At the memorial service on Friday, Sr. Sarafinaโs collegues from the Operating Theater, Anesthesia, Fiji Nursing Association, Fiji School of Nursing, FEMAT and CWM Hospital spoke fondly of a life dedicated to service.
Speaking on behalf of Surgery, Surgical Consultant/HOD Dr Semesa Matanaicake described Sr. Sarafina as a rigid mentor, someone that people looked up to as a mentor because of her very professional attitude towards her work.
โShe was a mentor, professional with her work and never let anything get in the way of her work and service. She mentored her staff well that even during the day of her demise, everyone was firm and carried on the work in OT just like she wouldโve wanted us to do,โ Dr Semesa said.
Speaking for the Anesthesia department, HOD Dr Ieli Fakraufon, Sr. Sarafina as a remarkable woman who was known for her unwavering commitment to fairness and discipline.
โShe brought her toughness and strict adherence to the rules to every aspect of her life and she inspired all of us to give our best selves in the service. She was the epitome of a leader, always striving for excellence and setting the bar high for all those that worked around her,โ Dr Ieli said.
โDespite her strict demeanor she was a warm and caring person who went out of her way to help us. Always there to offer a kind word with a warm embrace to her colleagues.โ
Sr. Sereana Nakava of the Operating Theater Nursing team described Sr. Sarafina as a woman of dignity.
โShe was always on standby for emergency cases or calls, if there was a need for someone to go to the outer islands, she would go. If she was needed in the hospital for an emergency situation, she would show up,โ she said.
โDuring COVID-19 she was always ready to assist. She would never let any call for assistance or help down, she was always there. She was true to her duty of service till her final breath this is true because she was still in her nursing uniform when God called her home.โ
Following the Memorial Service on Friday, Ministry of Health officials led by the Minister for Health Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu uplifted Sr. Sarafinaโs body from the the CWM Hospital Suva Mortuary for her family residence in her village Naqali, Lomaivuna, Naitasiri.
The Ministry of Health also handed over her body to the Vanua.
On Saturday morning, a Thanksgiving Mass was held at her family home in Naqali Village where she was also laid to rest.
At the mass, Sr. Luisa Wauca spoke fondly of Sr. Sarafinaโs 27 years of service.
โWhile reading her history of service in nursing, I summed up her life in a few words and that is dilgent worker, true to her service, and honest. She leaves behind a legacy, a legacy of service to her nation, to her people,โ Sr. Luisa said.
โSo long nightingale, thank you for serving diligently. Till we meet again on that Glorious morning!โ
Sr. Sarafina pursued her education at Naqali District School, Namosi Secondary School and later at the Fiji School of Nursing in Tamavua (Class 1/92).
Upon her graduation from nursing school she worked as a nurse at the Vunidawa Health Centre in 1995, Tavua Hospital in 1996, Lautoka Hospital in 1997 and Naqali Health Centre in 1998.
She joined the Operating Theatre as a Theatre Nurse in 1999 and slowly worked her way up the ranks over the years.
In the period from 2015 to 2016, she was seconded to the RFMF, having joined the UNDOF Batt 2 to Syria.
She resumed her duties again at the CWM Operating Theatre after deployment and was promoted as the CWM Hospital Operating Theatre Nurse Unit Manager in January 2022, a role that she held until her passing.
Sr. Sarafina was a very respectful person who also commanded respect from her colleagues, surgeons and anaesthetists.
She was a mover and shaker who set standards within the Operating Theatre.
Her passing will definitely left a void within the Operating Theatre that will never be filled.
The Memorial Celebration and Final Journey Home was livestreamed by the JIOJI Productions Team.
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