The first batch of nine nurses will leave Fiji today to work at the Aamer Home Health Care and the Alhadaf Alwadih Health Service at the United Arab Emirates.

The Vinaka Employment Agency is set to send its first batch of nine nurses today.

This is after granting its overseas recruitment license from the Employment Ministry earlier this year

The nine nurses are part of the 25 who have been chosen to work at the Aamer Home Health Care and the Alhadaf Alwadih Health Service at the United Arab Emirates.

Director Registrar Professor Dr. Naibuka Nayacakalou says the agency understands that the nurses are new to the area and strategies have been established to ensure they conform to their new working environment.

He adds that an estimated 70 Fijians are residing in countries under the GCC and they will be requested to assist the embassy and the Aamer Medical Group of Companies to guide these nurses.

“We do have constant orientation. All those countries that I have mentioned, our foreign office is in Abu Dhabi, so the Fiji Embassy is in Abu Dhabi and that’s where all these things are coordinated from. Fortunately we have Fijians who are already working in those countries, so we’ll probably use them, talk to them.”

Dr Nayacakalou stated with the COVID-19 pandemic still in our midst, safety protocols and procedures have also been developed to protect the new recruits.

“So when they are there, they will be in Dubai for two to three days. The Federal law back in UAE, before you enter another Emirate you need to have a COVID-19 test done. So, they’ll be there, they will have another COVID-19 test done. After they get the result, they will then enter Abu Dhabi.”

The agency will be recruiting more locals in a few weeks to fulfill labor shortages in different areas in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Israel.

Meanwhile, the nine candidates will leave Fiji today, and the remaining 16 will be joining them in the next few days.