Oman to hire over 3,200 doctors, nurses from other countries

Oman is hiring some 3,288 doctors and nurses from other countries to address a projected shortage of these medical professionals there, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said on Friday. “This latest positive development will certainly boost the chances of our highly-skilled and highly-qualified medical workers, particularly our nurses, of getting a job in Oman if they are inclined to,” Baldoz said in a news release on the Official Gazette website. Oman particularly intends to hire "nurses specializing in obstetrics, gynecology, anesthesiology, surgery (neuro and cardio), intensive care, and psychiatrics," the DOLE said. It noted that professional nurses in Oman receive an average basic salary of $703.79 based on employment contracts processed by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA). Shortage of nearly 9,000 doctors, nurses Philippine Ambassador to Oman Joselito Jimeno quoted Oman Minister of Health (MOH) Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Obaid al-Saidi as saying Oman expects the shortage of doctors and nurses to reach around 8,900 by 2015. Jimeno said al-Saidi also conveyed Oman's intentions to hire more nurses from the Philippines. Jimeno said the Oman MOH will need 4,464 doctors by 2015, but can only source 1,176 of them locally. In terms of nurses, 5,598 will be hired abroad, he added. To meet these needs, Jimeno said Oman’s state budget for health was increased by 9.4 percent for 2013, from OMR500 million ($1.3 billion) to OMR547 million ($1.4 billion). He said the health budget accounts for five percent of the total state budget of OMR12.9 billion ($33.5 billion). Jimeno also said the MOH’s 2011-2015 Five-Year Plan calls for the creation of more hospitals and clinics that aim to reach even the remotest areas in Oman. Deployment to Oman POEA records show 15,868 OFWs were deployed to Oman in 2012, including 10,291 rehires and 5,577 new hires. Most of these are domestic helpers and related household workers with 2,724 followed by professional nurses with 328. Meanwhile, Baldoz warned OFWs wanting to work in Oman to apply only with POEA-licensed overseas recruitment agencies with verified job orders in Oman. - VVP, GMA News