The National University of Samoa Vice Chancellor said she supports in principle the proposal by the Ministry of Health for the university's medical lecturers to work in the hospital to address chronic staff shortages.

Recently appointed to the role as Samoa's first woman Vice Chancellor of the university, Associate Professor Tuifuisaa Patila Amosa said in a statement to the Samoa Observer on Monday that a decision will be made after she meets with the staff involved. 

"I know it’s important to share knowledge and expertise when there is a critical need for it but is not available to the requesting organisation. Therefore, I support this approach to sharing human capacity,"  Tuifuisaa said.

"However, in this case, it’s a matter that has to be discussed first with the faculty and staff involved to ensure that the delivery of our own programs is not jeopardised.

 "All our academic staff are bound by their contractual obligations to teach, conduct and publish research and provide community service. The N.U.S. shall consider the interests of its students and its lecturers first and foremost.

"The lecturers referred to by the Director General of M.O.H. shall continue to prioritise and fulfill their N.U.S. contractual duties."

Tuifuisaa also said the university has to ensure any arrangement that is made complies with its policies and statutes, as she revealed that currently, the university doesn't have a policy that allows full-time staff to undertake part-time employment during working hours. 

"However, we are calling a meeting this week with our medical staff involved to secure their agreement. It is also to ensure that their workload and duties to our Medical School and students are adequately addressed first and that whatever arrangement we finalize complies with our policies."

According to the Vice Chancellor, the M.O.H. also needs to look at building the capacity of its employees, and provide more professional training for the students, that are currently pursuing medical courses to improve their understanding within their respective fields. 

"Apart from the potential sharing of human resources, I think our emerging medical students or in-service medical employees could be encouraged to undertake further training in priority needs of the Ministry," she said.

Last weekend senior doctor and Oceania University of Medicine (O.U.M.) Dean (Samoa and Asia-Pacific) Associate Professor, Toleafoa Dr. Viali Lameko said he supported the proposal by the Director General of Health, Aiono Dr. Alec Ekeroma for health experts currently teaching at the N.U.S. to work part-time at the Tupua Tamasese Meaole National Hospital. 

"It's the same practice at the College of Medicine at F.N.U. (Fiji National University) and New Zealand and Australian medical colleges," said Toleafoa. 

"Also, this is a great opportunity for lecturers to keep their clinical skills up-to-date and don't lose that set of skills."