The United Nations Fund for Population Development has revealed that Fiji is rated in the same category as the Philippines and Tuvalu in terms of teenage fertility and this is an alarming rate as young mothers are at high risk of losing their babies or their lives.
Fiji, the Philippines and Tuvalu fertility rate is currently at 40 percent, with the young mothers likely to lose their babies or their lives through their young age or through the lack of qualified professionals especially in developing countries.
Following concerns about the shortage of nurses and doctors, UNFPA Sub Regional Director, Najib Assifi said the shortage should not be taken lightly as the matter concerns lives.
The Fiji School of Medicine had recently started their Reproductive Health Training Programme where Acting Dean Robert Mould said that they are trying to address the issue of having trained professionals to attend to births.
