The Human Resources section of Vanuatu's Ministry of health has been criticised for poor communication over the contracts of nurses at Port Vila's Central Hospital.
15 nurses at the hospital have given two weeks notice to the administration to look into why they have not been made permanent staff members.
The nurses, who have been working on a temporary basis for the last three to five years, say they are overworked and have no job security and no shift, housing or even child allowances.
The hospital's acting medical superintendent, Dr Willie Tokon, says the problem has been going on for years but the Director General of the Health Ministry has told him she has never been properly informed about it.
"The Human Resource department, when they get the recommendation from the hospital, they're supposed to act on it and process the purpose. The Public Service will not act without a recommendation from the department so somewhere along the line here the information is not getting to the Public Service Commission."
Dr Willie Tokon