The Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in South Korea jointly announced on October 29 that a total of 40 medical staff have applied for the dispatch jobs. (image:
European Commission DG ECHO/flickr)
SEOUL, Oct. 31 (Korea Bizwire) – A lot more medical workers have applied for a medical care team to be dispatched to Ebola-hit nations than expected.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in South Korea jointly announced on October 29 that a total of 40 medical staff have applied for the dispatch jobs. Considering the fact that about ten applicants would be the members among 20 of which the remaining ten would be military medics, the competition rate is about four to one.
“We were worried that there might be no applicant. As soon as we opened the recruitment, however, many medical experts applied for it,” said an official of the center. “Most of the applicants are highly qualified, with excellent careers,” he added.
In particular, nurses took an active part in the recruitment. Considering the fact that one doctor and two to three nurses will operate together as a team, it looks very promising. Their noble humanitarian duty makes them eagerly list their name on the medical care team. In addition, they think that the dispatch to the Ebola-hit regions such as Liberia or Sierra Leone is a good opportunity for them to learn how to deal with a new epidemic and study advanced countries’ guide toward managing Ebola.
Korean nurses have traditionally been courageous. About 50 years ago, 10,000 young nurses were sent to Germany where a huge number of medical personnel were needed. The nurses considered the dispatch as a great opportunity for themselves and their country. Their hard work and foreign currency sent by the expatriate workers laid a foundation for South Korea to become one of the developed countries in the world today.
By Veronica Huh (veronicah@koreabizwire.com)
