To address staffing needs in hospitals and regional health centres throughout the country, the recruitment process is underway to hire approximately 300 recent nursing graduates from institutions in Fiji to fill intern nursing positions.
Minister for Health Rosy Akbar says a total sum of $3.51 million allocated in the 2016‑2017 National Budget is dedicated to fund the recruitment and hiring of the new nurses in Fiji.
The recruitment programme will target nursing graduates from Fiji National University and the Sangam Institute of Nursing who have completed their registration exams and the Ministry for Health and Medical Services orientation programme.
Akbar says nurses are some of the first faces patients see when seeking medical assistance.
She says they are caregivers, decision‑makers and are vital to the process of determining and addressing patient needs.
Akbar says these newly hired nursing interns are going to be sent to facilities where they are needed most and will immediately start improving the quality and level of access of healthcare for the Fijian people.
She says the new nursing interns will help fulfil the commitment undertaken by Government to hire 1,000 new nurses in Fiji's health sector.
The Health Minister says they are very pleased to help meet their staffing requirements with young professionals who have completed their studies in Fiji.
She says these young professionals will bring with them an understanding of Fijian society that will be indispensable in delivering positive health outcomes.
