Nurses are leaving the country every day and the Health Ministry is withholding information from the public on the number of health workers who have resigned, claims Fiji Nursing Association (FNA) president Dr Alisi Vudiniabola.
She also claimed while some were leaving for greener pastures, many were disillusioned and “tired of how their bosses and their employers treat them”.
She was responding to a statement released by the ministry this week which said the ongoing exodus of medical staff “was a global issue and not specific to Fiji”.
Dr Vudiniabola claimed the ministry was using silence to misinform and distort the nature of the staffing issue which bordered on unsafe staffing levels. She also claimed it was the ministry’s responsibility to inform the public on the number of health workers who had exited the service and left the country.
“Nurses are leaving every day and they are not leaving for greener pastures,” Dr Vudiniabola claimed.
“The ministry is reluctant to provide the numbers and also release information about the staffing levels at sub-divisional hospitals in Sigatoka and Levuka.
“Some leave for countries to do health care assistant work and most leave because they are tired from how their bosses and their employers treat them.”
Dr Vudiniabola claimed nurses were not being paid for overtime work along with allowances and there were multiple reports of nurses who faced violence and bullying.
In a recent statement, Health Ministry permanent secretary Dr James Fong said many developed countries including Australia, New Zealand and the US have reported staff shortages related to the exodus of healthcare workers.
He acknowledged there were staff shortages which meant some health workers were working long hours, however, recently reintroduced overtime pay and the time off in lieu would help mitigate the shortage.
Dr Fong also said the ministry would continue to review and employ strategies to improve the work environment of the health care workforce and has employed a staff rostering approach at appropriate locations to ensure safe working conditions for nurses and patients.
