Health Minister Dr. Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu recently announced that Fiji has made significant strides in filling specialist medical positions, with 80 percent of the 99 available roles now occupied. During a parliamentary session, he mentioned that despite this encouraging progress, 20 percent of the positions remain unfilled, particularly with Chief Medical Officer roles facing the highest vacancy rate at 29 percent.
The Minister attributed the challenge of filling these specialist roles to a shortage of qualified candidates, which has led to the need for re-advertising the vacancies. However, the recruitment landscape has seen remarkable improvements over the past five years. In 2021, only 52 percent of the advertised specialist positions were filled within four months, resulting in a significant 48 percent needing to be re-advertised. By 2025, this situation had reversed, with 83 percent of positions filled promptly and the re-advertisement rate dropping to 17 percent. This turnaround showcases effective strategies and better availability of candidates.
To support the ongoing recruitment efforts, the Ministry has set aside a budget of $82.4 million for the fiscal year 2025-2026, aimed at covering salaries for field doctor positions while promoting the active recruitment for any newly vacant specialist roles that appear in the upcoming year. The Ministry is implementing succession planning to allow temporary appointments, ensuring a consistent delivery of medical services as candidates complete their specialist registrations. In addition, locum specialists will be employed as necessary, ensuring a robust distribution of specialists across various fields, including internal medicine, anaesthesia, and obstetrics and gynaecology, although areas such as neurosurgery and psychiatry remain notably underrepresented.
Addressing concerns about the shortage of medical professionals, Opposition MP Alvick Maharaj highlighted the issue’s impact on patients, many of whom are seeking treatment overseas in countries like India and Australia. He inquired whether there are plans to recruit doctors from China and India on a bilateral basis to tackle these shortages. In response, Dr. Lalabalavu confirmed that they are collaborating with development partners and have allocated funds to bring in visiting medical teams capable of providing essential services and minimizing the backlog for specialist care.
This proactive approach reflects Fiji’s dedication to enhancing healthcare services and reducing the trend of patients seeking treatment abroad, underscoring the nation’s commitment to ensuring its population has timely access to adequate medical attention.