Minister opposes restricting sick leave certificates to selected doctors

Health Minister Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu has backed the Fiji Medical Association (FMA) in opposing proposals that would require workers to obtain sick leave certificates only from a list of approved doctors.

Dr Lalabalavu said such a restriction would undermine the medical profession and disadvantage workers, particularly those in rural areas with limited access to health services.

“We should trust the various doctors who have attained their bachelor’s or postgraduate qualifications,” he said yesterday.
“If they’ve done the hard work, and are then restricted from seeing patients or issuing sick leave, it doesn’t argue well for the profession.”

His comments follow submissions to Parliament’s Standing Committee on Economic Affairs on the Employment Relations Bill, where proposals were raised to curb bogus sick leave claims.

Opposition MP Premila Kumar told the committee that fraudulent medical certificates were costing employers and suggested workers visit only approved doctors.

The Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission supported the idea, noting some companies already maintain lists of doctors authorised to issue medical certificates.

However, Dr Lalabalavu — speaking both as Minister and a practising doctor — said generalising all doctors because of a few bad actors was unfair.

“Like any profession, there are good people and probably not so good people,” he said.
“But that’s not to say you generalise. From what FMA is saying, I fully support it — as a doctor.”

The FMA earlier warned that restricting certification to selected doctors would undermine medical integrity and limit access to care, especially in rural and remote areas.

It also said existing accountability systems under the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act 2010 and the Fiji Medical Council already address cases of fraudulent certificates.

Dr Lalabalavu stressed that patients have the right to choose their preferred doctor and that trust in the medical profession must be maintained.