SHILLONG, Aug 4: The participation of some 1,200 nurses at the Overseas Nursing Job Fair on Friday has fuelled the Meghalaya government’s plan to place an assembly line of nurses from the state in foreign countries.
Speaking at the fair, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said the government can help send as many nurses as possible to foreign countries. He announced a subsidy of Rs 50,000 for each selected candidate, for which the Finance department has given the necessary approval.
He said specialists and professionals from the state serving across the globe would unlock opportunities in trade, farming, and other sectors apart from benefiting the state in terms of foreign exchange.
“The government has similar plans for other sectors like hospitality. A strong system will be created so that Meghalaya can venture into other areas of human resources,” Sangma said.
Earlier, Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh asked the recruiting agencies to ensure the safety of the nurses abroad while advising the nurses to take up the challenge seriously and not let homesickness get the better of them.
The Mission Director of the National Health Mission, Ramkumar S. asked the nurses to start looking for opportunities globally and bringing back the learning skills to the state. He said the nursing curriculum would be reformed and an extra language would be added to the course.
Commissioner and Secretary for Health and Family Welfare, Joram Beda expressed concern over the unemployment scenario in the state. “About 300 students pass their nursing courses every year and their addition to the group of unemployed citizens is a big concern for everyone,” he said. Recruiting agencies Navis Human Resource Pvt Ltd, NURSEDGE, Trained Nurse Association of India, and Ajith Enterprise attended the fair to select the candidates aspiring to work especially in Japan, UAE and the UK.