30.8 C
Dubai
Friday, November 8, 2024
spot_img

World News | Singapore faces challenge to find foreign nurses to care for ageing population

[ad_1]

SINGAPORE, Oct. 6 (PTI) One of the major challenges facing Singapore is finding enough foreign nurses to supplement local nurses to care for the elderly, as the healthcare system will need 24,000 nurses by 2030, according to media reports.

“They (nurses and medical staff) are now 58,000 and the Ministry of Health estimates that they need to increase to 82,000 by 2030,” Health Minister Ong Ye Kung told parliament on Wednesday.

Also read | U.S.-China relationship turns ‘deadly’; Beijing unwilling to cooperate to address fentanyl threat.

Singaporeans and Permanent Residents make up about 72% and 63% of registered nurses in Singapore.

The rest are from the Philippines, Malaysia, China, India, Myanmar and other countries, The Straits Times reported.

Also read | Yemi Laboratory: South Korea established a 1100-meter underground physics laboratory in Yemi Mountain to explore the universe.

Acknowledging increased competition for international nurses, Ong added that the ministry supported the proposal to nominate MP and breast surgeon Tan Yia Swam to grant permanent residency to those who perform well.

He also noted that by 2030, one in four Singaporeans will be aged 65 and above, compared to one in six today. Singapore is increasing the capacity of nursing home beds from 16,200 now to 31,000 by 2030.

“In our Asian culture, we value caring for the elderly at home. Our elderly also prefer to age in a familiar environment. We should not lose that,” Ong was quoted in Parliament by The Straits Times.

“As a society, we must be wary of the assumption that the elderly are always sick and weak, unable to take care of themselves,” Wang said.

Responding to questions from several MPs about manpower, the minister said there was no exodus of local nurses and efforts were being made to increase the enrolment of local nursing students to 2,300 from the current 2,100.

While locals will continue to make up the majority of the nursing workforce, the number and role of foreign nurses will increase.

“If we want to take care of our elderly and sick, if we want to reduce the workload of medical staff, we must expect foreign medical staff to play a bigger role in the coming years,” Wang said.

“This is especially true in areas facing greater manpower shortages, such as aged care or palliative care,” he said.

Ong also pointed to the high attrition rate of foreign nurses, which rose from the usual 8.9 per cent to 14.8 per cent last year.

This is mainly due to the increased global demand for nurses due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Ong added that foreign nurses in Singapore were being poached by other countries such as New Zealand and the UK.

In his closing remarks at Parliament’s debate on the Healthier Singapore (Singapore) white paper, Ong highlighted the need to prepare for a rapidly ageing population from a healthcare perspective, as well as the urgency of attracting foreign nurses.

Senior Minister of State for Health Dr Janil Puthucheary told the House of Representatives that Singapore is working to increase the number of its family doctors to meet its target of 3,500 by 2030. Overall, about 200 Singaporean doctors trained overseas return home each year, he added. .

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from the Syndicated News feed, the body of the content may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)



[ad_2]

Source link

Related Articles

Trump Bold Return: Transformative Shifts in Immigration, Trade, and Green Policy on the Horizon

Trump has been elected to serve another term as president, set to take office in January 2025. His victory marks a return to the White...

UAE Stands in Solidarity: Extends Heartfelt Condolences to Egypt After Military Helicopter Tragedy

 UAE recently demonstrated its unwavering solidarity and deep commitment to regional unity by extending heartfelt condolences to Egypt following a tragic military helicopter accident...

Ivanka Trump’s Strategic Career Pivot: Embracing Leadership as Elon Musk Faces Legal Challenges—AI Insights on the MAGA Landscape

Ivanka Trump's potential return to the political stage extend beyond her personal ambitions; they also resonate with broader trends within the Republican Party. As the...

8 Tips for Choosing the Right Pet Insurance in Dubai

As a pet owner in Dubai, you want to be sure that your companion receives the best care possible. But we understand that vet...

UK Autumn Budget Sparks Fuel Duty Debate: Motoring Groups Urge Caution to Prevent Inflation Resurgence!

UK government prepares for its upcoming Autumn Budget, concerns about inflation are mounting, particularly regarding a proposed rise in fuel duty. Motoring groups have raised...

Latest Articles