IMPROVING pay, allowances and working conditions for healthcare workers remains a key priority for the Ministry of Health as it works to address the ongoing migration of medical professionals.
Health Minister Dr Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu said the ministry had requested additional funding in the upcoming national budget to ensure overtime payments, allowances and staff remuneration were adequately covered.
“Every year we always like to increase it, but with government you have to prioritise things in terms of what’s available and how it’s evenly distributed through the various ministries,” he said.
Dr Lalabalavu said health remained one of Government’s most important priorities within the social sector.
“What I had asked for was just that the remunerations, the pay, the overtime payment, all those allowances are transferred into this year’s budget.
“So that’s something I believe in the last budget was something that gave us a lot of challenges.”
He acknowledged that funding was one factor contributing to the departure of healthcare workers but said the issue was influenced by a range of push and pull factors.
“Talking about the pull factors, it’s better pay, better work opportunities, better working conditions that are available overseas.”
Dr Lalabalavu said the ministry was focused on improving local conditions, including remuneration and workplace support, to encourage staff to remain in Fiji.
“Those are the things we try and improve on, and so far, while we have improved on those things, we have seen that some of our medical staff have opted to stay.”
He said proper funding for staff payments and allowances in the upcoming budget would strengthen the ministry’s efforts to retain healthcare workers and improve service delivery.
