Despite the existing deployment ban, the Iraqi government wants to hire Filipino doctors and nurses.
“The opportunity of our health workers to go abroad is really big because the worldwide demand is tremendous,“ Ona said.
He said Al-Batti expressed the intention of the Iraqi government to get the services of these health professionals.
“They want as many nurses as we can give them. But the problem is the hostile situation there. There is a ban there and the only thing we want also to be sure of is the safety of workers. We want to make sure that they are safe,” he said.
Except for the Kurdistan region, a deployment ban is in effect in Iraq.
The ban was imposed following the kidnapping by Iraqi rebels of Filipino worker Angelo de la Cruz in July 2004.
The kidnappers had demanded the pullout of Philippine troops from Iraq.
The government yielded to the demand, which resulted in the safe release of De la Cruz on July 21, 2004.
Meanwhile, Rustico Jimenez, president of the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines, said there are also demands for healthcare professionals in India.
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