Demand high for RI nurses abroad

JAKARTA: A surplus in the number of nurses here will not result in their unemployment as the demand for Indonesian nurses from many overseas countries remains high, the Ministry of Health said.

In a release made available to The Jakarta Post on Thursday, the ministry said that developed countries such as the U.S., England, the Netherlands, Singapore, as well as many Middle Eastern countries, were in need of a large number of Indonesian nurses.

Minister of Health Achmad Sujudi saw off 39 nurses on Wednesday.

Four left for England and will take up new posts in the East Kent Hospital and the Royal Berkshire and Battle Hospital. Eighteen were bound for the Netherlands, while another 17 were hired by Singapore.

Due to the economic crisis, Indonesia imposed a freeze on the hiring of civil servants, excluding teachers.--JP