The shortage of nurses is a world-wide issue which countries like New Zealand and Australia also face.

This was the comment made by the Director Nursing Selina Waqa-Ledua at the national Nursing Scientific Symposium at the Pearl Resort in Pacific Harbour yesterday.

She said: “We are trying to increase the number of nurses-to-patient ratio here in Fiji.”

Currently, she said Fiji did not have enough nurses, but in 2018, the shortage would be addressed.

“We will have another review before 2018, which will see a good patient-to-nurse ration,” she said.

“Right now we have a population-to-nurse ratio and we wanted to bring the numbers up by 40 nurses per 10,000.”

Ms Waqa-Ledua said the review would also help the Ministry of Health and Medical Services match patient-and-nurse ratio in comparison to other Pacific Island countries.

“Our region has very small economies. Places like Tonga, Niue, they have about 37 nurses per 10,000 populations.

“Fiji had 22, but this number has grown to 38 nurses per 10,000 patients and come next year, we are aiming at increasing this number to 40 nurses.”

Edited by Jonathan Bryce

kathrin.krishna@fijisun.com.fj