Fiji faces a persistent shortfall in its midwifery workforce, with the public health system currently employing just over 200 midwives and needing an estimated 300 or more to adequately serve the population. The gap translates to roughly 100 midwives needed each year to keep up with demand.
In an interview yesterday, Colleen Wilson, Fiji’s chief nursing and midwifery officer, underscored that while recruitment and training efforts are underway, attrition remains a key hurdle. Training programs are being supported by partners including the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the World Health Organization, and the Ministry of Health, but ongoing losses of trained staff threaten to keep the numbers below target.
Training capacity is limited. Each year, the two institutions that train midwives can admit only 20 students apiece, meaning just 40 midwives can be trained annually. Wilson said the ministry would welcome funding to sponsor more nurses for training and urged partners to help create room in training institutions to absorb a larger intake.
As a partial remedy, the government has re-employed retired midwives to help fill gaps and sustain service delivery while longer-term capacity is expanded.
Broader context and implications
– The midwifery shortage mirrors a wider nationwide challenge: across Fiji, nursing vacancies are running high, with reports of hundreds of vacancies and significant migration of healthcare workers abroad.
– Government efforts to address the broader healthcare talent gap have included salary increases, retirement-age adjustments, and initiatives to recruit nursing interns, all aimed at improving retention and service delivery.
– Partnerships with international organizations and development partners are playing a role in supporting training and workforce planning, highlighting a push toward more sustainable health workforce strategies.
What this means on the ground
– Access to midwifery services could be strained in underserved areas if the current trainee output cannot keep pace with demand.
– Retention and better funding for training will be crucial to stabilizing the midwifery workforce and ensuring reliable maternity care across Fiji.
A hopeful path forward
– With continued funding for midwifery training, expanded capacity at training institutions, and strengthened retention measures (such as salary reviews and career development opportunities), Fiji has a clear route to narrowing the gap between current staffing and the ideal midwifery workforce.
– Re-employment of retired midwives provides immediate relief while longer-term workforce planning and partner support are scaled up.
Summary
Officials emphasize that sustained investment in training capacity, funding for trainee sponsorships, and robust retention strategies are essential to securing a reliable midwifery workforce and ensuring accessible, quality maternal healthcare for all Fijians.
Additional notes for editors
– Consider highlighting any upcoming budget or policy announcements related to health workforce expansion.
– If possible, provide regional comparisons or timelines for when training capacity might be expected to increase beyond the current 40-per-year limit.
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