Singapore considering recruitment of Asian doctors

Singapore, Jan 29 (UNI) Singapore is planning to recruit doctors from top universities and medical colleges in Asia, including India, to meet its annual 400-600 doctors requirement, media reports said today.

''I do not believe that only good doctors are trained in Singapore.

There are many good doctors trained elsewhere. Some of the top medical names in the US are from India and Europe,'' the country's Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan said.

However, he added that Singapore would select doctors from only top universities and medical colleges to ensure that patient health care was of foremost importance.

''My key point is, do not lower standards,''he said, assuring that a premium will be placed on the quality of foreign doctors for Singapore.

The Health Minister said Singapore has also set its sights on countries like Sweden, France and Germany, acknowledging it was hard to assess the standard of doctors in Asia.

At present, Singapore allows doctors trained at 120 accredited institutions to practice and the number of foreign doctors has risen to 160 last year from 130 in 2005.

UNI