KUALA LUMPUR: The Health Ministry will consider the request of the Association of Private Hospitals, Malaysia (APHM) to allow employing trained nurses from overseas, said Deputy Health Minister Datuk Dr Noor Azmi Ghazali (pic).

       He said this followed a shortage of trained nurses in specialised medical fields in Malaysia.

       "There is a request from APHM for nurse specialities from abroad to assist our country as there is a shortage of trained nurses in special fields.

       "At one time, the Health Ministry allowed (employment of trained nurses from abroad) and later disallowed it and I will bring this matter to the minister (Khairy Jamaluddin) when he returns from Geneva for discussion to resolve the matter," he said.

       He was speaking at a media conference after officiating the 28th APHM International Healthcare Conference & Exhibition 2022 here on Tuesday (May 31).

       Also present was APHM president Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh who said the association was in the process of training its own trained nurses.

       "At the same time, we are calling for the employment of trained nurses from abroad to be permitted to assist in resolving the current shortage of trained nurses in private hospitals," he said. - Bernama