Ministry wants reduced tuition fees for doctors

The Ministry of Health is urging the Fiji National University (FNU)to lower postgraduate diploma courses tuition fees for doctors.

Manager Training and Development Fasala Vamarasi while addressing delegates at the Consultation Meeting on the Review of Ministry of Health's National Training Policy in Suva yesterday said the current tuition fees is too high and the university needs to have a break down of the fees as all the courses are delivered by senior medical officers.

"The current $9000 fee is too much if multiplied by 50 medical officers who are currently enrolled in the courses and we want FNU to atleast reduce the fee by 10-20 percent."

"The ministry’s annual government’s training fund allocation of $400,000 is not enough to train doctors and nurses further in Fiji."

"We need at least $1.2 million annually for training and the ministry is now looking to donors and funding partners for assistance."

Adding on, Vamarasi urged doctors and nurses to take full advantage of scholarships offered by various organisations and prosper further in their career.

Public Service Commission Setoki Mataitoga said for the Kingdom of Morrocco scholarship, they have received only one application in the medical category.

With the scholarship deadline next week, Mataitoga urged medical officers to apply and make use of the opportunity.

By Ropate Valemei