Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Monday, September 18, said that talks with the Kuwaiti authorities have commenced to ensure the release of 30 Indian nurses, which includes 19 from Kerala, presently in detention there. Muraleedharan said talks at the highest level between India and Kuwait have commenced and there are technical issues over the licence of the clinic where these nurses were working.
According to reports, the Kuwait Manpower Committee apprehended 60 nurses from a private clinic in Kuwait for not possessing the required documents. They have reportedly been shifted to a deportation centre. Of the 60, 30 were Indian, and 19 Malayali. Many of the Malayali nurses also reportedly have infants.
Muraleedharan said that arrangements for breastfeeding the infants have been made. “Among the nurses who have young kids who are being breastfed, we have already made arrangements for them to be fed. Likewise, the Indian Embassy officials are in talks with the Kuwait authorities to see that they are released,” he said.
Meanwhile, the detained nurses’ relatives reportedly said that they have all the necessary documents including visas. According to them, the issue arose out of a dispute between the hospital owner and their sponsor.
With inputs from IANS.