The Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MOHMS) is set to commence with the salary adjustment for nurses from August 24.
Health Ministry permanent secretary Dr James Fong revealed this yesterday.
As announced in the 2023-2024 National Budget by Finance Minister Prof Biman Prasad in June, a total of $11.6 million was allocated to cater for the upgrade of nurses’ salaries and overtime.
In the remuneration package, Dr Fong said the nurses would benefit in consolidated allowances, environmental allowances for those in maritime and isolated settings, as well as an increase in allocation for overtime pay and meal allowances.
He said a working group was set up to look at the remuneration package for nurses which involved the Fiji Nursing Association (FNA), senior nurses in the Ministry of Health and other stakeholders including the Ministry of Civil Service.
“The working group is just the beginning; we will then explore other areas that we can work with that will regularise a change that will improve our ability to retain nurses,” Dr Fong said.
“Whatever adjustment we’ve made to the remuneration package is a broad package.
“The adjustment includes a formula to recognise years of service, it includes increase across the board in terms of the step up in salary so that the baseline of the entry level salary will go up and it includes a retention allowance.”
Dr Fong said the salary adjustment would also address the ongoing exodus of medical staff and that the ministry was working with relevant authorities in addressing the concern.
“What we need to do as a nation, is doing the best we can with retention, strengthening all our training and retraining programs.
“This will ensure that all our graduates are strengthened to be able to at least mitigate some of the effects of the loss of experienced staff.”
