To cash in on the growing demand for nurses from Kerala across the world, the southern Indian state’s Overseas Development and Employment Promotion Consultants Limited (ODEPC) is exploring the possibility of finding more opportunities for its trained personnel in areas such as home care for elderly citizens and palliative care.
Speaking to Gulf Times in Doha yesterday, ODEPC managing director Dr Sreeram Venkitraman said the more than 40-year-old organisation, which was the first government-run company in India to recruit personnel for overseas employers, particularly government organisations in different areas, is keen on finding more opportunities for trained and skilled staff from Kerala in various sectors abroad.
Dr Venkitraman is part of an official delegation led by Kerala’s Labour and Excise Minister T P Ramakrishnan, which is currently on a visit of Qatar.
“Our team had meetings with high-level officials of Qatar’s health sector and held discussions for generating more employment opportunities for skilled and trained medical and paramedical staff from Kerala at Qatari hospitals and institutions.
“We have learnt that a lot of new opportunities for trained and skilled personnel are arising in the nursing care for elderly citizens in Qatar and we would add on new programmes in our nursing education to meet the growing needs and requirements of employers in countries like Qatar,” said Dr Venkitraman.
He also disclosed that Kerala Academy of Skill and Excellence is now focusing on enhancing the communication and other skills of the potential job seekers from Kerala, wanting to go abroad. Dr Venkitraman is also the director of the academy.
The ODEPC recently signed an MoU with the UK government for an exchange programme to send 1,000 nurses for hospitals and home-care centres on a three-year contract, the official told at a presentation later at a gathering of entrepreneurs from Kerala based in Qatar. Indian ambassador P Kumaran chaired the meeting. He expressed his happiness at the visit by a ministerial delegation from an Indian state, which has the most number of expatriates in Qatar.
Besides Minister T P Ramakrishnan, CEO of Doha Bank Group Dr R Seetharaman, Doha-resident and director of Norka Roots of the Department of Non-Resident Keralites’ Affairs C V Rappai, senior community member and doctor at Hamad Medical Corporation Dr K C Chacko and director of Pravasi Welfare Board K K Shankaran were present. Director of Behzad Corporation J K Menon welcomed the gathering.