[Photo: FILE]
Health workers’ safety is under scrutiny after concerns were raised that their protection is inadequately addressed in the Ministry of Health’s 2026–2031 Strategic Plan.
Fiji Institute of Pacific Health Research Director Avelina Rokoduru says an independent unit should be considered to address the risks faced by health professionals.
“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 highlighted that health workers are routinely exposed to trauma, accidents, and long-term health risks. 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 says the ministry will review the strategic plan and consider changes to strengthen protection for health workers.
“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.”
Existing worker protection measures, according to the Ministry, will be reviewed to address gaps and better safeguard frontline health workers.
