12 Mar 2014

Vanuatu nurses pay assurance but concerns remain

2:53 pm on 12 March 2014

The Vanuatu Nurses Association says it's good news that nurses pay is expected to be back to normal by the end of the week, but some nurses still feel their future is uncertain.

The Vanuatu Health Ministry yesterday denied claims by the Nurses Assocation that 100 contract nurses were told they will no longer be paid.

The Health Ministry also said nurses pay will be back to normal on Friday.

The interim president of the Vanuatu Nurses Association, Anne Pakoa, says some nurses have not been paid for months, so the news is welcome.

"That's a great assurance, as long as they stick by their word, they can only prove their word in the coming weeks. I think what we're getting now is the frustration from the nurses, I think they feared that if these weeks is going to be their last week of salary payment, then their future would be uncertain. So that's what the freak out is all about, is if they will have consistency of salary payments in the next coming weeks"

Anne Pakoa says it's important the pay issues are sorted out, because the welfare of nurses affects their morale, which in turn affects nurses performance.