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By Nikka Matibag, Contributor
THE Finnish government welcomes the proposal of
the Philippine government for the possible deployment of more
Filipino nurses and other healthcare professionals to work in
Finland.
Maria Zeneida A. Collinson, Philippine
ambassador to Sweden, reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs
that discussions held on the Philippine readiness to help alleviate
the critical shortage of nurses and other healthcare professonals
in this country went well.
Finland is expected to among the first European
countries to experience a demographic shock as some 900,000 of its
“baby boom” generation reach retirement age within the next 12
years. With insufficient birth rates to offset the country’s
rapidly aging population, the ensuing decline in the working-age
population is predicted to lead to rising pensions and deteriorating
healthcare services.
In her visit held April 16 to 18, Collinson met
with Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, Minister of
Employment and the Economy Tarja Cronberg and several other high
ranking officials responsible for health care and migration.
Last year, Collinson first started discussions
on the entry of Filipino healthcare professionals to Finland.
Aside from initial training and Finnish lessons in the Philippines,
the group will be given further training leading to becoming a
competent practical nurse in Finland.
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