Vanuatu's newly appointed Minister of Health, Bruno Leingkone, says the government is preparing to offer short term contracts for retired nurses and third year student nurses to combat a staffing shortage as the country tries to cope with soaring Covid-19
It has also identified facilities in Port Vila and throughout the country that will become isolation sites to combat Covid-19, including the national stadium, the nursing school and a fitness centre.
The latest official figures show 128 active cases of Covid, including 59 new ones as of Thursday.
Three are on Sanma and the rest on Efate.
Three people are in hospital with one critical.
The entire country remains on Alert Level 3 and all inward flights have been suspended for the next month.
Mr Leingkone also said more PPE and other medical equipment has been sent to the provinces.
He said all dispensary and health centres throughout the country will be used as Covid testing sites.
Photo file Caption: Vanuatu's newly appointed Minister of Health, Bruno Leingkone