The Ministry of Health wishes to clarify a statement released by the Suva Private Hospital on the hospital’s early closure of outpatient services.
In fact, one of the contributing factors to the shortfalls faced by the Suva Private Hospital is through the strengthening of health reforms and measures implemented by the Health Ministry to ensure that all Fijians have access to safe and affordable medical services.
The Minister for Health Dr Neil Sharma today highlighted that a vital component of health reforms is to ensure that students or medical personnel wanting to practice in the country must be fully qualified and meet the relevant criteria to undertake work. The ministry has strengthened the bonding period and process which has resulted in more doctors remaining with the Ministry of Health.
‘We are now able to provide better quality of doctors entering private and public practice and ultimately this results in better health care services’ Said Dr Sharma
“There will not be any compromise in this country when it come to health care services so through the ministry, we introduced a series of measures so that medical personnel especially doctors have not only achieved the relevant qualifications but have also had the most appropriate trainings and work experience”.
“Once any student graduates from the School of Medicine, they are required to undertake internship and posted to rural communities as part of the bond process. The new bonding agreements will see students undertake mentoring programs with the Fiji General College of Practitioners before they can be formally recognised to undertake medical practices.
“These reforms were introduced and designed to retain medical staff in hospitals and private clinics and to ensure that doctors have been adequately trained”.
Minister Sharma pointed out that a key concern for medical institutions has always been the qualifications and experience of young interns and doctors. The Ministry’s personnel reforms will ensure that all medical personnel wanting to practice medicine would achieve the same qualification irrespective of the institution that they studied at.
“The Ministry of Health works closely with the Fiji College of Practioners and the Suva Private Hospital so I’m confident that while we can resolve this issue immediately, we can count on the hospital to implement a mentoring program to ensure the retention of doctors”.
Press Release