Discussions for Fijian medical students to study at medical universities India took place during the Minister of Health, Jone Usamate’s visit to India.

Mr Usamate met with his India counterpart Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda earlier this week for discussions in the health sector.

This follows the bi-lateral matters discussed between the Fijian Government and India Prime Minister, Narendra Modi during his visit to Fiji in last November.

Mr Usamate requested the government of India if Fiji could be given an allocation for three to five seats initially for undergraduate and specialised medical studies at postgraduate level.

Fiji’s High Commissioner to India, Yogesh Karan, said Fiji’s request for a quota-system every year where Fijian students could study medicine in top Indian medical universities on self-funding basis, was discussed and a follow-up discussion would take place.

“Follow-up discussion would be held with Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Health in India in the forthcoming weeks,” Mr Karan said.

Mr Nadda expressed his Ministry’s willingness to assist Fiji and assured Mr Usamate that his ministry would hold discussions with Ministry of External Affairs on Fiji’s requests once his office receives detailed proposal from Suva.

“The meeting was an important one for both ministers needed to renew objectives of the memorandum of agreement that was signed between the two countries,” Mr Usamate said.

He also briefed Mr Nadda on Fiji’s interest in traditional medicine and the Indian Systems of Medicine and Homoeopathy (ISM&H).

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