Singapore opens its doors to Australian healthcare graduates to ease medical staff shortage Singapore is opening its doors to professionals with qualifications from different overseas institutions. One of its intentions is to beef up recruitment of healthcare professionals, many of which are in shortage, given the rising number of people needing medical care. According to Dr K Thomas Abraham, chief executive of Sata CommHealth, the changes could not have come at a better time. "We really need to recruit more allied health professionals, especially as Singapore is expanding its healthcare sector," he said. Dr Abraham underscored that opening the doors to more overseas degrees in the healthcare sector will help address the shortage. The shortage of healthcare professionals is a problem on a global scale. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) report “A universal truth: No health without a workforce,” the world will be at a deficit of almost 13 million healthcare workers by 2035. Some of the problems they identify are: aging workforce, employees leaving for better paying jobs, and inadequately trained young health workers. In the report, the WHO recommends specific steps to address this problem. At the heart of the recommendations are better working conditions, and stronger political and technical leadership to support healthcare workers. Thus, the Singaporean government is moving in the right direction by recognizing postgraduate medical degrees, as well as 15 other allied health qualifications in occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and speech therapy from the University of Queensland and Australian National University. Under the new Singapore-Australia Free Trade Act (SAFTA), Singapore has likewise agreed to recognize more Australian law degrees. As a result, 10 Australian universities, including the universities of West Australia and Sydney, are now recognized by Singapore. In an effort to strengthen the ties between the two countries, Australia also promises to recognize Singaporean law degrees. Additionally, up to 100 Singaporeans studying in Australia are given more opportunities to work with Australian companies. A new program called the “Work and Holiday Maker Program” will allow up to 500 people, aged 18 to 30, to engage in full-time, part-time, casual, shift, and voluntary work while visiting Australia. In a practical sense, this new program helps visitors shoulder expenses while on their trip. According to Jesmine Tan, a Nanyang Technological University student who went to Brazil last year to volunteer, "I helped out with marketing for an NGO and worked and lived like a local... It broke stereotypes I had of the country. I think it will be quite a cost-effective way to travel while gaining some work experience.” More importantly though, these changes in Singaporean policy promotes cultural exchange and gives individuals better opportunities to grow both personally and professionally. According to Christabel Tan, a childcare teacher, "It's important to see the world, be exposed to what other people are like and also grow connections." Source
