Members of the Fiji Nursing Association have filled the Association’s headquarters at McGregor Road in Suva, as hospitals around the country are operating with skeletal staff.

About 90 nurses in Suva walked off their jobs at midnight after the FNA said that they were not happy with the offer by the interim cabinet to restore 1 percent of the 5 percent pay cut.

The nurses are from CWM, Lami, Nabua, Valelevu, Saint Giles Hospital and Twomey Hospital.

It has been confirmed from the other hospitals in Labasa and Nadi, Ba and Lautoka, that FNA members there also walked off their jobs at midnight and the Health Ministry's contingency plans are now in operation.

Nurses have also walked off their jobs in Rakiraki, Tavua, Sigatoka, Navua, Nausori, Wainibokasi, Vunidawa, Levuka, Savusavu, Nabouwalu and the outer islands.

Nurses in these centres have only said the walkout will be felt come rush hour this morning.

When our reporters arrived at CWM Hospital in the last hour, three senior nurses were based at the Accident and Emergency Unit, compared to four during normal shift.

The doctors at the CWM Outpatients Ward said they are unaware whether nurses will turn up for their shifts this morning. It has also been confirmed that the nurses still at work are now doing 12 hour shifts compared to the normal eight hour shifts.

It has also been confirmed that they have joined the Accident and Emergency Unit and the Outpatients Unit as about 30 patients are now waiting to be seen.

About 35 first and second year student nurses are starting their shifts at the New Surgical Ward and the Maternity Unit. Some senior nurses are also providing services at the Maternity Unit.

7 nurses are working at the Maternity Unit which is only a third of the total number of nurses who are supposed to be at the unit during the shift.

On to the western division:

Only five nurses were based at the Nadi Hospital from midnight last night.

Gulsher Ali reports from Nadi: