Fiji has reached its full capacity for qualified & trained doctors - TSLB

The Tertiary Scholarship and Loans Board has confirmed that Fiji has now reached its full capacity for qualified and trained doctors.

Minister for Health Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete has also confirmed there will be no shortage of doctors in the near future after the suspension of scholarships offered by TSLB for the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery program.

TSLB Chairman, Rakesh Ram says apart from around 1,000 graduate doctors now in Fiji as at the end of 2020, over 100 new TSLB funded graduates will be joining the profession from 2021 to 2025 every year.

Ram says such programs were listed under the national priority areas of government since the inception of the National Toppers Scheme and Tertiary Education Loans Scheme in 2014 and these programs were included to ensure that Fiji has an adequate number of trained doctors, oral hygienists and dentists.

He says since the inception of the new merit based National Toppers Scheme and TELS, TSLB has funded 934 students for the MBBS program and 202 students for the Bachelor of Oral Health and Dental Surgery.

Ram says between the period 2014 to 2020, 144 students have already graduated in MBBS, 31 with Bachelor of Oral Health and another 72 with Bachelor of Oral Health and Dental Surgery.

He says it is important to note that a number of students who have completed their three-year Bachelor of Oral Health Program have opted to upgrade their qualification to the five-year Bachelor of Oral Health and Dental Surgery and this is also funded by TSLB.

The Chairman says six Fijians have completed their MBBS program under the bilateral donor funded scholarship in Cuba and have returned to Fiji at the end of 2020 and this is in addition to the privately funded students joining the services.

Ram says with the 2020 graduates joining the profession, Fiji now has enough trained and qualified doctors to meet the WHO benchmark.

He says by 2025, this benchmark would have been exceeded as there are currently 689 active students under National Toppers and TELS pursuing a qualification in MBBS who are expected to graduate and join the medical profession by 2025.

Ram says having fulfilled these important criteria, it was vital for government to review the priority areas for funding and this is why funding for these programs have now been suspended.

He says existing students already under these schemes will be allowed to complete their studies on the terms and conditions as per the loan or scholarship bond agreement.

Ram adds students who have completed Year 13 in 2020 are strongly encouraged to explore other priority areas within the scholarship categories like within the medical and health category, scholarships are still available in Nursing, Physiotherapy, Dietetics, Public Health, Medical Lab Sciences, Pharmacy and Medical Imaging Science.

He says a number of these programs also provide a pathway for the MBBS program and students completing these programs under National Toppers still have an opportunity to pursue their MBBS program post-graduation.

Ram says they may do so as private students or any other scholarships or loans scheme that may be available in the future.

He says students must check directly with the Higher Education Institutions on their eligibility via alternative pathways to the MBBS program.

Ram says in addition to the medical and health category, students can also pursue alternative qualifications such as Engineering, Teacher Training, Technology and Town and Land Planning, provided they meet the qualifying criteria.