By: Staff Writer March 03, Colombo (LNW): Once considered one of the best in the South Asian region, Sri Lanka’s Health system is now ailing with the exodus of doctors, nurses and paramedics along with attendants strikes demanding wage hike resulting in patients left languishing in hospital corridors. Over 1700 medical officers including 200 doctors have left the island for overseas during the past two years seeking greener pastures Making matters worse , Sri Lanka is preparing to send hundreds of nurses to join hospitals in Saudi Arabia in 2024,. The first phase of the recruitment process took place in Colombo this week and was overseen by the Saudi Ministry of Health and Sri Lanka’s Labor and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara. “Saudi Arabia is looking for medical and paramedical staff from countries such the Philippines, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka to meet the growing demand of this sector in the Kingdom,” Sanjay Nallaperuma, media secretary of the Ministry of Labor and Foreign Employment,he disclosed. “Initially, they want to recruit 1,000 nurses in a phased operation throughout the next 12 months.”Ninety-five nurses were selected during the first phase out of 400 candidates, he added. “Those selected were qualified nurses and they had a Bachelor of Science degree,” Nallaperuma said.“The Saudi Ministry of Health will post them in government hospitals in all parts of the Kingdom.” Similar to global trends, nurses make important contributions to the Saudi health sector as healthcare providers. As a result of the Kingdom’s investments in health, nursing has become one of the most demanded professions. “These 95 will go in May and the next recruitment (phase) is in August,” Nallaperuma said.For Sri Lanka, their employment in the Kingdom, where the average nurse salary is $1,400, will contribute to the reeling economy. Every year, more than 200,000 migrant workers leave Sri Lanka to work abroad. They are a main source of foreign exchange for the country, which since 2022 has been gripped by its worst financial crisis. Gulf Cooperation Council countries are the preferred choice for Sri Lankan workers, with Saudi Arabia being their key destination. “We will get foreign currency at a time when we are undergoing a period of economic recovery,” Nallaperuma said. “It’s a great blessing from the Kingdom.”