Fiji’s healthcare system is experiencing a positive shift, marked by a significant decline in the resignation rates of healthcare professionals. Health Minister Dr. Atonio Lalabalavu recently reported that during the fiscal year 2024/2025, 39 doctors and 65 nurses resigned, a sharp contrast to the concerning numbers of 221 doctors and 982 nurses who left the system in the 2022/2023 fiscal year. The previous year (2023/2024) saw 48 doctor resignations and 241 nurses departing.
Minister Lalabalavu credits this improvement to targeted workforce interventions aimed at boosting job satisfaction among medical staff. Key measures include raising the retirement age from 55 to 60, implementing salary raises for civil servants, and providing retention allowances and salary increments specifically for nursing personnel. He expressed optimism that these initiatives are starting to turn around the high levels of staff turnover witnessed in prior years.
In addition to addressing the needs of doctors and nurses, the ministry is also tackling retention issues in the pharmaceutical field. To draw newly qualified pharmacists into the public sector, the starting salary has been increased to over $40,000 annually, allowing for competitive compensation compared to retail positions.
Similar efforts are underway to attract medical imaging technologists, who are now offered competitive starting salaries exceeding $30,000 annually.
This decline in resignation rates signals a hopeful outlook for Fiji’s healthcare future. The government’s commitment to innovative solutions and responsive measures could ultimately lead to a more stable healthcare workforce, enhancing the quality of medical services provided to the community. With ongoing investments in human resources and improved working conditions, the prospects for better health outcomes in the region continue to look bright.
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