THE Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) has a total of 17 practicing specialist surgeons in the public sector as of October 2025.
Minister of Health and Medical Services, Dr Paul Popora Bosawai confirmed this when asked by Opposition Leader, Mathew Wale in Parliament on Wednesday.
Minister Bosawai said in terms of human resource development, the Ministry is actively supporting training and upskilling of 15 medical officers in surgical specialties.
“We anticipate that, if all current trainees successfully complete their training, the national specialist capacity will double within the next five years, improving access to essential surgical care across the provinces,” he said.
This is the following breakdown and distribution as per location of service:
| Specialty | Number of Specialists | Locations of Service |
| General Surgeons | 6 | 4 at the National Referral Hospital (NRH), 1 at Gizo Hospital, 1 at Kiluufi Hospital |
| Orthopaedic Surgeons | 3 | All based at NRH |
| Ophthalmologists (Eye Surgeons) | 3 | All based at NRH |
| Obstetricians & Gynaecologists | 4 | All based at NRH |
| Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Surgeons | 1 | Based at NRH. |
Current numbers of trainees supported are as follows:
| Specialty | Number of Trainees |
| General Surgery | 5 |
| Ophthalmology | 1 |
| Obstetrics & Gynecology | 4 |
| Orthopedic Surgery | 4 |
| ENT Surgery | 1 |
Furthermore, Minister Bosawai said based on international benchmarks recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery, as well as adaptation to the Solomon Islands’ population and disease burden, the Ministry of Health has estimated the following ideal minimum workforce targets:
| Specialty | Ideal Minimum Number Needed | Current | Current In Training | Gap |
| General Surgeons | 15 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| Ophthalmologists | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Obstetricians & Gynecologists | 12 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Orthopedic surgeons | 5 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| ENT surgeons | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
He said these figures reflect the growing demand for surgical services in the country, including life-saving procedures, maternal care, trauma care, and non-communicable disease-related surgeries.
“These figures reflect the growing demand for surgical services in the country, including life-saving procedures, maternal care, trauma care, and non-communicable disease-related surgeries.
“The NRH 2022-2032 ten-year specialist planning plan provides a clear, structured pathway for the professional development of surgical doctors, recognizing the need for robust, tiered training to meet the evolving demands of healthcare,” he said.
Minister Bosawai said this framework is composed of three progressive levels, each designed to cultivate a new generation of skilled practitioners while also fostering advanced surgical expertise
By EDDIE OSIFELO
Solomon Star, Honiara
