The state government will organised an overseas nursing job fair here on Thursday. Ostensibly, the government is positioning the fair as a chance for qualified but unemployed nurses to gain employment abroad.
However, the very real possibility is that nurses already employed in the state could be tempted away from Meghalaya with the promise of better pay and a chance to see the world.
Over 1,000 qualified nurses have already registered for the fair, Health and Family Welfare Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh informed today and more are expected to sign up before Thursday.
According to the minister, there are many unemployed nurses in Meghalaya. This despite the fact that the state’s own healthcare institutions, especially in rural areas, are often short-staffed.
Once the nurses have registered and are selected, they will undergo training either in Mumbai, Delhi or Bangalore. Lyngdoh also said that a few countries like Japan, the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and Singapore have expressed interest in employing and engaging nurses from Meghalaya.
On the positive side, the move could help in reducing unemployment and in increasing the inflows of money to Meghalaya if the nurses employed abroad remit their salaries back home. The other side of the coin, however, could mean the best and most qualified nurses leave Meghalaya, meaning that the less qualified have to take their places.
