Solomon Islands nurses

The Chairman of the Public Service Commission Martin Mahe formally welcomed the nurses to the Public Service as their employer to serve under the Ministry of Health.

Mr Mahe provided some key remarks before he officially handed over their appointment letters.

According to PSC, the nurses contracts to serve in the rural communities come in a right time since a lot of Vanuatu’s retired nurses have left and the Ministry of Health is facing a lot of challenges in replacing them.

The nurses will be stationed at various clinics and hospitals around the country.

“We are looking forward for your invaluable contribution toward health services to the people of the Republic of Vanuatu,” the commission said while welcoming the nurses to Port Vila.

PSC is working with MOH to address the current issues affecting the Health Sector around the country and to strengthen the planning aspects as well for the future.

The Vanuatu Public Service Commission board approved their names on 19 July.

The nurses were due to arrive in Vanuatu this week.

The PSC said the nurses will help strengthen and streamline medical and health services from Torress to Aneityum.

“They will be stationed in their respective postings for a period of 2 years contract and there is provision to renew their contracts. This decision is made in the best interest of the people of Vanuatu and via the strategic development framework of the Melanesian Spearhead Group(MSG),” the public commission said.

The health minister, Tautai Kaitu'u, told parliament that 71 Solomons' nurses were interested in working in Vanuatu after a request earlier this year from the chair of the Vanuatu Public Service Association.

He said health officials would meet later this week to discuss the matter.

But the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation reports the opposition leader, Manasseh Maelanga, saying health officials must first consider the shortage of nurses in hospitals and clinics in the Solomons.