The CWM Hospital's Children's Outpatients and the General Outpatients Wards have been closed.

Notices put up at the hospital said that due to the strike, emergency cases will be of top priority including children aged 5 years and below.

Three senior nurses are based at the Accident and Emergency Unit compared to four during normal shifts.

The nurses still at work are now doing 12 hour shifts compared to the normal eight hours.

It has also been confirmed that they have joined the Accident and Emergency Unit and the Outpatients 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.

Interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama, Interim Health Minister Doctor Jona Senilagakali and Permanent Secretary for Health Doctor Lepani Waqatakirewa are currently at the CWM Hospital assessing the situation. Commodore Bainimarama said that he will speak to us after his visit to the hospitals.

Members of the Fiji Nursing Association continue to gather at the Association’s Headquarters at McGregor Road in Suva, as hospitals around the country remain to operate with skeletal staff.

About 50 nurses from CWM, Lami, Nabua, Valelevu, Saint Giles Hospital and Twomey Hospital are still at McGregor Road.

Doctors are manning the Valelevu Health Centre and are only attending to emergency cases. Other cases are being referred to the CWM Hospital.

All nurses walked out from the Valelevu Health Centre this morning.

About 38 nurses in Nausori are on strike and only emergency cases are being seen.

The Navua Health Center is closed and all the serious cases are attended to at the Hospital by nine nurses. 21 nurses in Navua are on strike.

On to the western division:

Over 70 nurses at the Sigatoka Hospital who are members of the Nursing Association are on strike.

Senior health officials confirm that only 10 nurses are on duty and they will assess the situation in every shift.

Lautoka Hospital Medical Superintendent Doctor Eloni Tora said they have been affected by the strike, however, they are coping with limited staff. He refused to make further comments.

In Ba, the Outpatients Department at the Ba Health Center has been closed and only emergency cases are seen at Ba Mission Hospital. Twenty nurses have walked off and only a handful of nurses are working at the hospital.

In Tavua, 50% of the nurses have gone on strike, however, non-members are trying to keep the services running.

The Korolevu Health Centre in Sigatoka is now closed after the three nurses that were providing services walked off their jobs this morning.

In the Northern division:

In Taveuni Hospital, 27 nurses are on strike as of this morning. Officials have confirmed that only three nurses are working. A retired nurse has been called to assist the nurses. It has also been confirmed that 2 medical students are also assisting the nurses. Only emergency cases are now been seen at Taveuni Hospital.

Some nurses stationed at the Savusavu Hospital have also walked off their jobs as of this morning and only 6 nurses are providing services.

At the Seaqaqa Health Centre, none of the nurses are on strike and services are normal.

Senior health officials have confirmed that six nurses are at the Health Centre.

The Labasa hospital is now only attending to emergency cases.

Officials at the Labasa Hospital confirm that only 32 nurses are at work today and the nursing strike is severely affecting services.

A number of patients are at the Outpatients Ward waiting to be seen.

At the Lakeba Health Centre, 5 nurses have walked off their jobs while only 4 are now on duty.

Meanwhile, there is no indication at this stage on whether any talks will take place between the interim government and the Nursing Association to end the strike.

Interim Public Service Minister Poseci Bune and Nursing Association General Secretary Kuini Lutua are both saying that they will not take any steps to initiate any further talks.