A total of 61 staff who were to retire have been re-engaged by the Ministry of Health as part of its strategies to sustain staff numbers and re-enforce areas in need of additional personnel.

The Ministry confirmed that the list includes 7 doctors, 34 nurses, 1 laboratory technician, 12 dental officers, 1 pharmacist, 2 administration officers and 4 nursing orderlies.

The 12 strategies being used by the Ministry also include the recruitment of new graduates from the Fiji School of Nursing, Fiji School of Medicine and the TISA Nursing School.

This includes 39 medical interns who will graduate from the FSM this year, 102 nurses who will graduate from the FSN, 23 in-service graduates late this year, 54 Sangam nurses who graduated in 2007 and 57 who graduated last year.

The Ministry will also outsource services like security, laundry and cleaning, establishment of a nursing agency for part time workers, immediate recruitment of General Wage Earners in one staff establishments such as those in the outer islands and rural areas.

The Health Ministry will also waive the Minimum Qualification Requirements to facilitate staff appointments in specific positions with PSC approval.