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HEALTH MINISTER CONFIRMS NURSES SENT ON LEAVE

SOME nurses have been sent home for refusing to take the AstraZeneca jab.

Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete confirmed the nurses were sent on leave under Government’s “no jab, no job” policy.

He said an unvaccinated person would pose a great risk to the vulnerable population. He did not respond to queries on the number of medical staff members involved and how it would affect the Health Ministry’s operations. The no jab, no job policy was announced last week by Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama which drew a huge outcry from worker unions, the legal fraternity and human rights advocates.

NURSES who refused the COVID-19 vaccine have been sent home on leave.

This was confirmed to The Fiji Times by Health Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete.

He made the comment after being quizzed about claims circulating on social media that some nurses in Labasa were sent home for refusing the COVID-19 jab.

“I have been told that some staff refused but not necessarily about Labasa,” he said.

Dr Waqainabete said the principle remained that those who refused were told to take leave.

Dr Waqainabete did not respond to queries on how many medical staff it involved or the impact on the ministry’s operations.

He, however, said an unvaccinated person posed a great risk to the vulnerable population.

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama last week announced the “no jab no job” policy which restricts employers and employees from entering work places if they have not received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by August 1. The announcement drew widespread condemnation from the unions, the legal fraternity and human rights advocates.

Mr Bainimarama said “it was simply unfair for anyone to risk the health of their co-workers or their customers, or risk undermining a business’s operations because they refused to get a vaccination that is known to be safe and effective”.

Health Ministry permanent secretary Dr James Fong said as of Tuesday, 370,219 adults in Fiji have received their first dose of the vaccine and 70,917 have received their second jab.

As of 8am on Wednesday, Fiji recorded 634 COVID cases and 10 deaths for the period July 9-14, bringing the COVID-19 death toll to 69.