Children's ward at Lautoka Hospital Photo: Dr Losalini Ravulo
Fiji's government says hospital staff will benefit from new training opportunities and access to improved medical technologies under a proposed partnership with a private hospital operator.
The Attorney-General and Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, has promised the 730 staff at Ba and Lautoka hospitals that under the partnership no one would lose their job or see any decrease in their salary.
The government said staff could work in their same roles under the new hospital operator, and within 12 months could choose if they wanted to stay or be transferred to another government health facility.
The Permanent Secretary for Economy, Makereta Konrote, said the project was welcomed by health staff as a big step forward in improving the quality of care and access to health services.
Earlier, the Fiji Nurses Association and the Public Services International union expressed concern about the planned changes to how Fiji's hospitals are managed.
