Simione Tuvuki 
Minister for Health and Medical Services Doctor Atonio Lalabalavu acknowledges the need for significant efforts to support the retention of midwives in the country.
Dr. Lalabalavu says the Ministry is working on countering the push factors, while commenting on the 500 midwives who left the country last year alone.
He says 200 midwives are struggling to serve over 300,000 women at the moment, while they have to provide training for additional midwives in the healthcare system.
Dr. Lalabalavu, however, says there is a massive gap that must be bridged.
“We’ll have to train more. The midwives, they are strained at the moment with the shortage, but the ministry is trying its best to address the push factors.”
Dr. Lalabalavu says they are hopeful that the continuous improvement of the work condition for nurses will hinder the exodus of staff in the Health Ministry.
“If we can do something about the push factors, better working conditions, better remuneration on call allowance, and all these things, I mean allowances and all these things, then maybe they would want to stay.”
Dr. Lalabalavu says following improvement in the condition of work for nurses, a few staff have chosen to remain with the Health Ministry.
The crisis has called for urgent action, as it is not just an issue for staffing but a matter of life and death for the women who depend on midwives.
