News

Ministry will continue to push for better nursing standards

November 26, 2021 4:05 pm

[Source: Fijian Government]

Fiji is leading the Pacific in developing nurse specialization which is crucial in improving services and access to universal health coverage.

Minister for Health, Doctor Ifereimi Waqainabete, says nurses are the backbone of the Ministry’s effort in caring for COVID and Non-COVID patients, during one of the most challenging and trying times for the health sector.

Officiating at the Fiji Emergency Nursing Virtual Symposium this morning, Dr Waqainabete says nurses make up more than 74% of the health workforce in the Pacific region.

Article continues after advertisement

He says nurses have worked around the clock, spending long hours away from family, making life-changing decisions and saving countless lives while risking their own during the pandemic.

This year, for the first time, local nurses are able to enrol in a local Postgraduate Acute Care Programme in Emergency Nursing at the Fiji  National University which will see 10 local nurses graduating with a Masters in Emergency Nursing next year.

He says the Health Ministry will continue to push for better nursing standards because nurses are at the frontline of any response to major incidents and exposed to high levels of risk.

The Minister hopes to see the establishment of Master courses in other critical areas of nursing disciplines in Fiji and the region in the future.