The topic of discriminatory hiring practices in the banking and financial services sector has dominated discussion recently (47 employers added to watch list over discriminatory hiring, Aug 6).

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) should not have allowed this situation to happen. However, the actions it is taking now are a step in the right direction.

Still, I would wholeheartedly applaud the MOM if it issues work passes to foreigners who come here to work in essential services like nursing. This is one occupation that many Singaporeans have shunned.

I am a dialysis patient who undergoes thrice-weekly treatments. Of the nine nursing staff at the centre I go to, only one is a Singaporean. The rest are from Myanmar, Malaysia, China, the Philippines and India.

All these foreign nurses are very caring and dedicated, and provide good service to the majority of patients, who are mainly from the Pioneer or Merdeka Generation.

I was told that this centre has about 40 outlets island wide providing essential dialysis treatment to thousands of elderly Singaporeans. Without these foreign nurses, the care of dialysis patients would be compromised.

Singaporean should warmly welcome and appreciate the care and service provided by these foreign nurses.

Neo Poh Goon