Visiting Medics’ Fees To Be Paid By Ministry: Akbar
The Ministry of Health and Medical Services will bear the cost of paying for the registration of medical visiting teams who come to Fiji to provide services to Fijians.
This was confirmed by Minister for Health and Medical Services Rosy Akbar yesterday on the margins of the National Convention of Sathya Sai Services Organisation in Ba yesterday. “When we have visiting teams to do charity work in Fiji, for many years they were required to pay their registration fee,” Ms Akbar said.
The teams, she said, have to register with the Fiji Medical and Dental Council.
“We came across a lot of concerns from these visiting teams that the time taken to register and the fee that is imposed.” She had a discussion with ministry officials and the concluding discussion was to pay for nurses and doctors registration fee.
“We have decided that the fee structure or the fee that is normally paid by the visiting team will be paid by the Ministry now.” And since the Fiji Medical and Dental Organisation is an independent body, the fees would be paid by the ministry. “I believe this is one way of giving back to the organisations that spend so much and travel to Fiji to do so much for us.” Meanwhile, Ms Akbar welcomed Acting Prime Minister and AttorneyGeneral Aiyaz SayedKhaiyum’s comments on weaknesses and flaws within the ministry.
“If he as the Minister for Civil Service identified weakness or flaws in our system, then he obviously knows what he is talking about,” Ms Akbar said.
“If he has said it then it is pretty serious and as the Minister for Health and Medical Services it is my responsibility to see that I fix the loopholes in the ministry.
“I also cannot have unsatisfied nurses working in the ministry as well so their concerns will also be heard.”