Jigmi Wangdi

The government has approved the recruitment of 145 foreign nurses as part of the Ministry of Health’s (MoH) strategy to tackle the country’s critical nurse shortage.

Minister of Health Tandin Wangchuk said this during the ninth meet-the-press yesterday.

This initiative will involve bringing in nurses in three batches, with deployment planned at key healthcare facilities, including the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH) and the Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck Mother and Child Hospital.

“This move aims to fill immediate gaps in nursing staff at the country’s largest healthcare facility, providing much-needed support to the local medical workforce,” Lyonpo said.

Addressing concerns about pay disparity between foreign and local nurses, Lyonpo said that international contract nurses will be paid 30 percent of the basic pay than their Bhutanese counterparts. This change comes after the ministry took into consideration the sentiments of local nurses who raised concerns about the pay disparity, which stated that it would discourage local nurses.

Lyonpo said that the pay difference is now relatively minor, especially given the sacrifices foreign nurses make by relocating to Bhutan.

He added this allowance aligns with the government’s policy for contract-based employees and is modest, given the personal sacrifices made by foreign nurses.

“For instance, the pay difference for nurses with two to five years of experience is Nu 7,566, while it is Nu 8,495 for those with six to 10 years, and Nu 9,690 for those with over10 years of experience,” Lyonpo said. 

Despite the urgency to recruit foreign nurses, Lyonpo said that this solution is temporary, with plans to employ them for one year only, until the local healthcare workforce is adequately strengthened. “We are only planning to employ the foreign nurses until our local health workforce becomes stronger.”

In addition to recruiting foreign nurses, the MoH is actively working to bolster its domestic workforce.

In August 2024, the ministry successfully recruited 156 local nurses through the National Medical Service, including 98 regular and 58 contract staff. These new recruits, trained at institutions like the Faculty of Nursing and Public Health and Apollo Bhutan Institute of Nursing, are set to enhance Bhutan’s healthcare capabilities.

However, local attrition rates continue to challenge Bhutan’s healthcare system. Between January and October 10,  2024 alone, 94 nurses resigned, while 106 were on extraordinary leave (EOL).

Of the 106 nurses on EOL, 50 availed of this leave in 2024. Additionally, fifty-eight nurses have recently served notice of resignation, with 18 others opting for EOL and are currently serving the notice period.

To counterbalance these trends, the MoH has launched the Extended Clinical Services programme at JDWNRH. The ECS provides overtime payments to health professionals, creating an additional incentive for nurses in high-demand areas such as operating theatres.

“This scheme allows health workers to receive additional payment for overtime work, offering greater financial support while ensuring patient care remains uncompromised,” Lyonpo said.

The recruitment of the 145 foreign nurses is supported by the Government of India.