Push to include health workers’ safety

Fiji's Ministry of Health faces scrutiny over the perceived inadequacy of health worker safety measures within its 2026–2031 Strategic Plan. Concerns have been raised that the plan fails to sufficiently address the risks and traumas faced by frontline professionals.

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It doesn’t have anything about protecting all of us sitting here. We just went past COVID-19. We lost a lot of people. Yet our strategic plan doesn’t have anything like that, protecting us as workers.

Avelina Rokoduru, Director of the Fiji Institute of Pacific Health Research, voiced strong opinions, stating, “It doesn’t have anything about protecting all of us sitting here. We just went past COVID-19. We lost a lot of people. Yet our strategic plan doesn’t have anything like that, protecting us as workers.” Rokoduru emphasized the routine exposure of health workers to trauma, accidents, and long-term health risks, advocating for an independent unit dedicated to their protection.

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We need to have a review and to get this independent unit or section or something in place that is just there looking out to protect the services, the lives of healthcare professionals.

Assistant Health Minister Penioni Ravunawa acknowledged the concerns, promising a review of the strategic plan. "Yes, we’ll need to go back and look at the strategic plan, but otherwise what was echoed in the room is something that needs to be taken seriously," he stated. Ravunawa indicated that the ministry would explore policy and legislative changes to ensure adequate coverage for health professionals, particularly those serving in the maritime areas. Existing protection measures will also be reviewed to identify and address gaps.

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Yes, we’ll need to go back and look at the strategic plan, but otherwise what was echoed in the room is something that needs to be taken seriously. If it’s not there, then we need to work through our policy and also our legislation to see that it is there to cover our health professionals that serve in the maritime area.