By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 7: Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh on Saturday said her department, learning from past mistakes, is moving cautiously to complete the bidding process of the 108 ambulance services soon.
“The 108 tender is in the process of completion. Certain procedures were made operational and we had a pre-bid discussion with the bidders. The Health Department is attending to some queries that came up during the pre-bid,” she said.
When pointed out that the bidding process is running behind schedule, she said: “We are seized of the fact that it is delayed but we cannot rush as we have experienced how things become problematic when the correct selection is not done.”
“We are on the job. We have to give suitable responses to the bidders,” she added.
Lyngdoh asserted that the department will not be dictated by anyone as there are technical and legal issues to be dealt with cautiously.
She said the state government is working on a proposal to come up with a skill lab in at least three district headquarters to provide the required training in languages to working professionals who want to pursue jobs abroad.
“We are coming up with the skill labs in collaboration with the Department of Labour. We are looking at the possibility of opening skill labs where our qualified people – engineers, doctors, nurses, or paramedics – can go and look for jobs in foreign lands,” she said.
The health minister said language will be an important component of each skill lab.
“A nurse keen on going to Japan will have to learn Japanese. For this, we need to amend the syllabus of the nursing school, which recently got upgraded and recognised by the NEHU. We need to make sure that nurses undergoing courses get an opportunity to attend a skill lab where they can also learn a foreign language,” she said.
Stating that there is an acute shortage of workers in various fields in countries like Korea, Japan, and Singapore, Lyngdoh said, “A skill lab in Shillong will help students gain additional skills to get a job where qualifications beyond a nursing degree or MBBS may be required.”
She said some locations have been identified for the skill labs and information would be shared when the proposals are approved.
She also said many capable youths are unable to work abroad because of the language barrier preventing them from clearing certain examinations.
