The Fiji Nursing Association says Fiji is facing a shortage of about 600 nurses, with those remaining in the public health system struggling with heavy workloads, burnout and increasing pressure.
General Secretary Filomena Talawadua says the shortage has worsened since the COVID-19 pandemic.
She says Fiji continues to lose experienced nurses to Australia, New Zealand and other countries, while many are also leaving for private healthcare providers within Fiji because of better pay and working conditions.
Talawadua says the shortage is placing significant pressure on nurses who remain in the public system, particularly those working in specialised and high-dependency units.
She says nurses are also dealing with equipment shortages and staffing challenges, while the departure of experienced nurses is affecting the mentoring and training of newly qualified nurses.
The Fiji Nursing Association is calling on the Government to address these issues in the upcoming national budget.
Among their recommendations are retention allowances, rural and maritime hardship allowances, specialist nursing allowances and long-service incentives aimed at encouraging nurses to remain in the profession.
The association is also calling for a comprehensive salary review and a phased salary increase programme over the next three years.
Talawadua says the salaries need to remain competitive to help reduce the loss of nurses to overseas employers and the private sector.
Another recommendation is a protected budget for overtime payments, public holiday work, emergency response duties and on-call allowances.
She says some nurses experienced delays in receiving overtime payments during the current financial year because of budget constraints.
Talawadua says they hope the upcoming budget will provide for these issues through the proposals submitted by ministries.
Insert:Talawadua on challenges and expectations
She adds the association noticed that in the last budget, staff overtime allowances and salaries were not fully covered for the entire financial year, which created difficulties for nurses.
The association is also seeking increased funding for nursing education, scholarships, bonded training opportunities and the recruitment of more nurse educators.
Other recommendations include housing assistance for nurses posted away from home, transport support, childcare assistance and greater investment in digital health systems and modern medical equipment.
Talawadua says these measures would help retain nurses, reduce migration and strengthen healthcare services, particularly in rural and maritime communities.
She says investing in nurses is critical to ensuring quality healthcare for all Fijians.
The 2026/2027 National Budget will be delivered at 10am tomorrow.
