The Ministry of Health has reported a noteworthy decline in the resignation rates of doctors and nurses, a trend attributed to strategic workforce interventions introduced since 2023. During the 2025 parliamentary session’s opening, Health Minister Dr. Atonio Lalabalavu highlighted that the measures include raising the retirement age from 55 to 60 years, implementing wage increases for civil servants, and establishing retention allowances and salary increments specifically for nursing staff.
In the fiscal year 2022-2023, the Ministry faced an alarming exodus of healthcare professionals, with 221 doctors and 982 nurses resigning. However, these new strategies have begun to show positive results. In the current fiscal year of 2024-2025, the Ministry has recorded a reduction to just 39 doctors and 65 nurses resigning thus far, compared to 48 doctors and 241 nurses in the previous fiscal year.
Dr. Lalabalavu expressed optimism regarding these figures, stating that the decrease in resignations may signal a reversal in workforce mobility trends, especially with more healthcare workers, particularly nurses, rejoining the Ministry. He emphasized the importance of right-sizing human resources in health as a key strategy to transform the primary health care approach, which continues to be a significant government priority.
This positive shift suggests that the government’s interventions are beginning to stabilize the healthcare workforce in Fiji, fostering a more sustainable environment for health professionals dedicated to providing quality care. It reflects a hopeful outlook for the future of healthcare services in the region, signaling potential improvements in service availability and community health outcomes.
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